


The Mora Kai

by thinkpink



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Alternate Universe, Angst, Cat/Human Hybrids, Dom/sub, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-06-16 11:06:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15435720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thinkpink/pseuds/thinkpink
Summary: When the Paladins of Voltron liberate a planet called Mora, their gracious host awards them a highly sought after prize - a Mora Kai named Lance. Kept as pets for the dominate Mora race, the Mora Kai are bred and groomed to serve their masters in any capacity - most importantly, sexually. Shiro, overwhelmed with sympathy and more than a bit of attraction, immediately agrees to care for him.But as Shiro learns more about the dark side of the Mora Kai industry, he begins to question their hosts kindness. It's hard to focus on the truth of Mora's history though, when Lance is so wonderfully sweet, and smart, and sexy...





	1. The Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Woo boy! My first chapter fic in this fandom. Pray for me.
> 
> I've got the whole story plotted out, and while it's not finished yet, I am ahead of the game as of now and intend to update twice a week - so long as work doesn't get stupid stressful. 
> 
> Unbeta'd as usual, please let me know if you see anything ridiculously wrong!
> 
> Rating will go up with later chapters and I will add tags as necessary. It's gonna get smutty people, be prepared.

Being a Paladin of Voltron meant gratitude. Liberating planets and saving entire civilizations often came with the undying appreciation of many, and while they didn’t do it for the praise, it was something they were growing more comfortable with. Allura had frequently impressed upon them how important it was to gracefully accept the kind words and gifts. 

Generally, the gifts were quite nice – beautiful clothes and hand-crafted jewelry, Hunk in particular liked to collect bracelets from different planets. More often, and unfortunately riskier, was the gift of food. Fruit, meats, odd cheese like substances – these were generally safe and usually delicious. There always seemed to be some type of insect they were all forced to try, tight smiles and watery eyes hiding their true opinion of the alien fare. 

It helped watching Allura struggle through those meals as well. At least if she was going to force them to accept, she had to suffer right along with them. 

There were of course the outrageous gifts.

Large animals that had no business living in space – they all ended up in the stable with their first pet, Kaltenecker, a cow Pidge and Keith had picked up in the Unilu space mall.

Statues, made of rare and beautiful materials, piled up in rooms that no one ever used. 

One particularly memorable gift was the shiny black ’69 Stingray Corvette from the Palusians, which had boggled all of them – not enough, of course, to stop Shiro from shouting “Dibs!” the second he laid eyes on it. 

He couldn’t drive it on the ship obviously, but when they got back to Earth…

This, however, was definitely not the usual type of gift.

“His name is Lance,” the tall, dark skinned alien told him. A Mora called Maddox, his species reminded Shiro of something like a dog. A long shaggy tail, elongated snout that ended in a dark, shiny nose. His ears sat on top of his head like little pyramids – alert and twitchy. His otherwise human like limbs ended in intimidatingly sharp nails.

Not for the first time Shiro wondered about the possibility of alien life on Earth in the past. This race, if Shiro was honest, they kind of reminded him of werewolves from human mythology or Egyptian Gods. 

Almost everyone on this planet looked like Maddox, tall and strong, even the females of the species were large and muscular. 

However, he’d noticed, here and there, that there seemed to be another type of Mora, this one far less common. 

If Maddox and the majority of the population looked canine, these other less usual Mora were distinctly feline. 

Lance was thin and willowy, with long slender limbs that ended in delicately clawed fingers. Though he was at least a foot and a half shorter than Maddox and the other dog-like Mora, he stood only a few inches below Shiro. 

His skin was a tawny brown, much lighter than Maddox, and his almond shaped eyes were bright blue with thin slits for pupils – locked on the floor. His nose was slightly pointed but looked much like a humans and sat above a plump rosy mouth.

Lance’s close cropped shaggy hair was a chocolaty brown, which matched his elegant triangle ears up to the very tips that were black. His tail was much the same, long and thin like a rope, it swayed behind him, brunet until the black capped end.

“Lance is a Mora Kai,” Maddox continued serenely, as if the Paladins weren’t all staring at him and Lance with varying degrees of shock and concern. 

“Oh my…” Allura’s eyes widened, “I thought the Mora Kai had… fallen out of fashion?” 

Maddox waved away her concerns, “Oh no Princess, the Mora Kai industry is still as strong as ever, although they are less common and much more expensive,” he grinned at Allura, his canine teeth gleaming.

“They have become a bit of a status symbol, as only the most wealthy and… powerful can afford to keep them.” 

Allura’s forehead creased with concern, “Oh, well, we would never want to impose,” she began but was cut off.

“No imposition! Although Lance is easily my favorite, and I’ll be sorry to see him go, I can think of no other gift more perfect to thank you for all that you and Voltron have done for our planet.”

Allura deflated, “Of course, Lord Maddox, this is a very thoughtful… gift.”

Shiro tore his eyes away from the Mora Kai to look at the other Paladins, all of whom were wide eyed with concern, except Hunk, who Shiro was startled to see looked furious.

“I’ll be providing all of his clothes and food for at least the first year, after that you can of course choose to continue to care for him or sell him if you wish. He’ll fetch a fine price.”

Shiro watched Lance’s ears droop momentarily before they perked right back up, his gaze never leaving the floor. 

“I understand you’re somewhat familiar with the Mora Kai, Princess, but for your human companions I’ll include a manual on Lance’s care and needs,” he smiled gently before walking over to Lance, grabbing his tail from the base and pulling softly down to the tip, stretching it out. Lance shivered at the touch but otherwise remained still.

Maddox grabbed the Mora Kai’s chin, tilting his face up and giving them all a better view of his fine features. He stuck his thumb in Lance’s mouth, pulling it open to display sharp fangs and a thin pink tongue.

“So gorgeous, my darling Lance,” he growled under his breath and Shiro watched in awe as the Mora Kai’s body visibly relaxed and his face flooded with soft pink. “You’ll be a good boy?”

Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath, so it was impossible not to hear the purr that issued from Lance’s chest, a soft rumbling, as Lance nodded at his master.

“Of course you will,” he pulled his thumb from Lance’s mouth, a thin string of drool connecting them until Maddox wiped it on the Mora Kai’s short robes.

“Take good care of him, Paladins, and he will be worth the effort,” Maddox smiled enigmatically before leaving the room in a swirl of dark robes. Lance’s quickly readjusted his posture back to one of docile submission, his eyes firmly on the ground.

“What the _fuck?”_ Pidge cried, the moment they were all alone.

“This is… highly unusual,” Allura conceded, her eyes flicking around the room, as if looking for any Mora that might be listening in.

“This is insane, did that dude just give us a _person?”_ Keith asked, his voice ratcheted up with disbelief.

“Well,” Allura began, glancing over at Lance, who had yet to move or show any evidence he was aware of the discussion around him, “The Mora Kai aren’t exactly seen as _people.”_

“What does that mean?” Pidge asked, and they were all surprised when Hunk was the one to answer.

“They’re slaves,” his voice was heavy with anger. 

Pidge and Keith both looked to Allura for confirmation, whose lack of reaction told everyone what they needed to know.

“Haven’t you noticed them while we’ve been on this planet? They sit at their master’s feet like pets, half dressed and ignored until it’s convenient, it’s disgusting.”

Shiro watched as Lance’s ear drooped again, this time not perking back up.

“From the display Maddox just put on, I’m going to assume they’re sex slaves.”

Keith’s eyes were huge, and Pidge looked desperately at Allura, as if hoping she would deny Hunk’s claim.

Lance tail swished nervously behind him.

“While Hunk’s words are, unfortunately _true,_ the Mora Kai aren’t quite slaves. They were genetically engineered, then later bred, to fulfill a sort of… pet-like role.”

Allura sighed deeply before continuing, “Kai originally meant help in Morsa, although now it’s very much slang for pet. The Mora created them thousands of years ago, to assist with house-hold chores and child rearing.” 

Shiro watched Lance’s tail, hypnotized.

“However, as they were selectively bred, the Mora Kai began to develop into a supremely beautiful race, and the Mora purchased them less for house work and more for… carnal pleasure. They continued to be bred for this reason until the defining traits of the Mora Kai were their beauty and their insatiability. From what I understand now, the Mora Kai thrive on physical contact and affection…”

Shiro looked up at this, intrigued, before schooling his face into impasse. 

“I don’t like this,” Hunk said firmly. “At all.” 

“We’re not taking a Mora sex slave!” Pidge shouted, her arms gesturing wildly.

“Yeah, this is fucked,” Keith replied. “What do you mean they _thrive_ on contact? Does that mean we have to like… touch him, or…” 

“Maybe we can keep him in the stables, with Kaltenecker?” Pidge suggested and held up her hands when Hunk shot her a fiery look. “I just mean, if he needs companionship! Kaltenecker’s really cuddly!”

They began to argue the best course of action for Lance until Shiro’s sharp bark startled them all.

“Enough!”

Everyone turned to him in alarm, but Shiro couldn’t look away from Lance.

The Mora Kai’s eyes were still fixed to the ground, but they were wet with tears, one slowly spilling over and tracking down his cheek. Lance’s body was taut with nervous tension, his tail whipping against his ankles, ears low against his head.

Shiro walked over to the smaller man, taking slow, non-threatening steps. He held his hands up in front of him, drawing Lance’s attention until the Mora Kai looked up at him quickly, eyes widening, before he looked back down. 

_The Mora Kai thrive on physical contact._

Shiro reached out, touching first Lance’s elbows before sliding his hands down to the dainty wrists, and gathering both small hands in his own. 

Lance didn’t look up but Shiro could feel some of the tension drain out of him.

“Hi,” he said softly, squeezing Lance’s palms. He noted that the action cause Lance’s sharp claws to extend slightly before retracting. 

“Hello,” Lance replied softly, his voice liltingly musical. He eyes were still shiny, but his cheeks were drying up as a soft blush suffused his face.

“I apologize for the harsh words, I can assure you that you’re in good hands with us, Lance,” Shiro spoke softly, and watched as the ears above Lance’s head slowly relaxed into a standing position. 

Lance’s bright blue eyes flicked up to him quickly before looking back down, “I- I’m sorry, Master gets these ideas and just- I can stay, I don’t have to go with you, I never meant-“ Lance’s hands tugged out of Shiro’s, clasping over his mouth.

He blushed even deeper, before catching his tail to hold in his hands in front of him, “Forgive me, I spoke out of turn.”

Shiro felt something inside himself melt at Lance’s display. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching up to grab Lance’s face in his hands, tilting until they made eye contact.

“It’s fine, you’re free to speak as much as you’d like,” he tried to imbue trustworthiness into his smile.

Lance looked skeptical before quickly schooling it away into an expression of calm.

“Do you want to stay here?” Shiro asked him, maintaining eye contact.

Lance’s eyes widened, and he looked around the room quickly, before swinging back to Shiro. He shook his head as much as he could, face still held between Shiro’s warm hands. 

“Is there somewhere else you’d like to go?”

Lance shook his head again, hesitating before he said, “I’ve never been anywhere else.”

Shiro nodded, he’d expected that. “Do you want to come with us?”

“Shiro,” Hunk began, but Keith held up his hand to stop him from continuing. 

Lance nodded slowly, looking directly at Shiro, “Can I…” he started but trailed off, his face growing warm in Shiro’s hands.

“You can ask me anything, Lance,” Shiro told him, “All of us, we’re here for you.”

“Can I stay with you?” It came out in a rush and took Shiro a moment to decipher.

Shiro didn’t hesitate, releasing Lance’s face as he nodded, before reaching down to grab the Mora Kai’s clawed hand. 

“Well I suppose that solves where Lance will sleep,” Allura smiled, but it was strained. 

Shiro looked at the team and was surprised to see Hunk’s ire now directed at him. He returned a confused expression and couldn’t help his worry when Hunk merely narrowed his eyes further before looking away. 

It didn’t take them very long to return to the ship, which had been restocked by the grateful Mora, and Shiro made quick work of shedding his Paladin armor, before leading Lance to his quarters.

Their quarters?

He stopped in front of the metal door, gesturing towards the panel beside it. 

“Let me get you keyed into the system,” he told Lance, grabbing the small, tan hand in his. He placed it palm down against the screen, pressing a series of buttons until it scanned and registered the signature. “You can come and go as much as you please.”

Lance looked up at him nervously, and Shiro was quick to assure him, “If you want to stay somewhere else there are plenty of rooms on this ship! This is just where I sleep, you can have your own space, whatever you’d like.”

He probably would have continued rambling if Lance hadn’t smiled up at him sweetly, “I’d like to sleep with you. If that’s okay…”

“Totally, perfect. Absolutely okay.”

Shiro cringed. He used to be so smooth back in the day, what happened. 

Lance grinned, flashing those sharp teeth. 

They entered the rooms together and Shiro gestured around. There was a large bed, more than big enough for the both of them, completely with silky black sheets and a feathery down comforter. His clothes hung neatly in the closet which was open, three pairs of shoes lined up at the bottom. There was a door that led off to the en suite, which Shiro pointed out.

The only personal item in the room was a framed photo which sat on the nightstand. Shiro watched Lance walk over to it, bending at the waist to get a better look at the group shot of the five Paladins and Coran. It had been taken after a particularly difficult mission that had ended successfully, and although they were all covered in mud and sweat, everyone was grinning widely at the camera, even Keith. 

Lance looked at him with flash of smile, “Cute,” he said, before straightening back up. “May I?” He asked, gesturing towards the bathroom and Shiro tripped over himself to get out of the way, allowing Lance room to enter.

He sat on the bed and listened to the running of water, the flush of a toilet, more running water. 

There was another person in his bathroom. It had definitely been a long time since he’d experienced this level of domesticity with another person. And on the first day of meeting. 

What a day.

Lance reentered the room, and before Shiro had the chance to stand, he’d dropped down gracefully onto his knees in front of him. His tail wrapped up and around his own waist.

Shiro’s eyes widened, “Lance,” he started until Lance looked up meaningfully.

“May I speak?” He asked politely, turning his eyes back down to the ground as he waited for an answer.

“You don’t need to ask to speak, Lance,” Shiro reminded him but Lance continued to watch the ground in front of him until Shiro finally said, “Please, go on.”

Lance smiled at the ground. “Thank you, Master,” he said, before finally looking up.

“I would recommend using this time to discuss how you’d prefer this… relationship to move forward.”

At Shiro’s questioning look, Lance persisted. “You are the leader of Voltron, and clearly very commanding and authoritative,” Shiro raised an eyebrow and Lance smiled that mysterious smile again. “However, it’s obvious that you’ve never been gifted a pet before, which honestly, I find very surprising because if anyone should be a master it’s the Black Paladin but that’s neither here nor there… Forgive me, I only mean to say that I would be quite happy to answer any questions you might have. To set any ground rules you’d like. I am here to serve you in any way you desire but I am at an unfortunate disadvantage right now.”

He returned his gaze to the floor when he’d finished talking and Shiro leaned back, surprised at every word of Lance’s sentence. He wasn’t sure was he was expecting, but that was not it. It almost sounded like Lance was negotiating a dominant-submissive contract. 

Suddenly Shiro’s feelings of being out of depth were gone. This was something he understood. 

He gently grasped Lance under the chin. “I would prefer eye contact, unless I explicitly say otherwise.” His voice was steady, and Lance nodded, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Hiding your gorgeous eyes is a crime, as far as I’m concerned.” Lance grinned, and his tail swept across the floor behind him before coming back to rest across his lap.

“Please call me Shiro, especially when we’re around others, though alone Takashi is fine.”

“Kashi?” Lance asked, eyes sweet.

Shiro smiled, “That’s fine too. Do not use the word Master, I don’t own you Lance, and you’re free to go at any time, do you understand?”

Lance nodded, eyes wide, before he asked hesitantly, “Sir?”

“Sir is okay.”

Lance lifted a perfectly manicured brow, “Daddy?”

Shiro smirked and nodded, “Daddy is good.”

Lance hummed his assent and Shiro spoke again, “Is there anything you prefer or dislike?”

A look of confusion crossed Lance’s face and he shook his head. Shiro gave him a disbelieving look and said, “I also expect honesty, Lance.”

“I’m incapable of lying, Sir,” Lance informed him quickly. 

“Wait, seriously?” Shiro couldn’t hide the disbelief in his expression. 

“Well, I suppose I can deflect,” Lance began, “I would never tell the truth if I thought it would hurt someone’s feelings… Like how my former Lord’s cook would make me these ginger biscuits and I’m sure they were absolutely wonderful but I hate ginger, but Miss Kane is just the sweetest Mora and I never wanted to make her feel bad so whenever she asked me how I liked them I always just took a big bite and didn’t say anything because I figured if my mouth was full I couldn’t say what I really thought and that was that they tasted like soap and dir-“ he stopped talking then, his hands moving quickly to cover his mouth.

Shiro’s shoulders were shaking with laughter, but he reached out and pulled Lance’s hands away.

“Please never censor yourself,” he was still laughing, and Lance joined in after a bit.

“Oh, you may regret those words,” Lance told him quickly, but he was smiling.

“So, what happens if you lie?” Shiro asked, once he’d calmed back down.

“It hurts.” Lance replied simply.

Shiro made a face, “Hurts, how?”

Lance hummed, “In my stomach and then up my throat, it’s like a burning. I’ve heard of other Mora Kai choking to death from a lie, but I’ve never taken it that far. Telling the truth is so much easier.”

Shiro ran his fingers through Lance’s hair, trying to mask his concern. He couldn’t help but slide them over the side of his head, where Lance’s ears would have been if he were human, up, up, up until he reached the pair he did have. Lance’s ears were as soft as a kitten, and thin enough at the top that Shiro could see the little veins running through them. 

He pinched one softly between his fingers, stroking the tips, and was only slightly startled when Lance began to purr. It was a lot like he had before, only much louder.

Shiro looked at Lance’s eyes and found his pupils were no longer slits, but round like black moons, ringed with blue. They were half lidded as he fought to maintain eye contact.

Lance cleared his throat and pulled away, “Forgive me, but if you keep that up I’m afraid we’ll never finish this conversation.” His cheeks were warm but his eyes were slowly regaining their clarity.

Shiro nodded, surprised at his own lack of control. Were Mora Kai capable of hypnosis? He pulled his hand away.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to tell me everything Lance, you’re allowed to have privacy.”

Lance made that same confused face but nodded, “Okay… And if you call me anything I don’t like, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“If I _do_ anything you don’t like, tell me immediately.”

Eyes large at the steel in Shiro’s voice, Lance nodded.

“Now,” Shiro said, “In regard to your day to day. The castle is yours to explore and enjoy at your leisure. I won’t lie and say that everything is safe. We’re at war, the castle has been attacked before and I’m sure it will be attacked again. When that happens, I’ll protect you as best I can, but if I’m off the ship, you may be on your own. We have panic rooms that you can stay in.” 

Lance nodded, unsurprised. “Yes, Sir.”

“If you’re bored, there’s plenty to do on the ship, and of course all of the other Paladins are here to talk to and hang out with.”

Lance did look surprised now. “I can talk to the others?”

Shiro reared back, “Is that surprising to you?”

“Well, yes.” Lance shrugged.

“But you just said you spoke to your master’s cook?”

“On Mora, I was permitted to reply to anyone in the household that spoke to me first. I was not permitted to speak to anyone outside of the household, except other Mora Kai, though I rarely saw any beyond my sisters.”

Shiro frowned gently, “How many sisters do you have?”

Lance smiled, “I have two sisters and one brother, but he still lives in the house my parents are at. My sisters and I were all with the Maddox household.”

“Did you ever get to see your brother and parents?”

“Sometimes! That’s pretty rare actually, but my parents are one of the few breeding pair of Mora Kai’s left, so they were allowed special privileges like seeing their kits after they’d left.” Lance smiled proudly.

Shiro’s mouth stretched even further down, “What do you mean the last breeding pair?”

Lance’s ears dropped flat against his head and his clutched at his tail nervously.

“Oh! I’m not supposed to say…”

“Who told you that you weren’t allowed to talk about this?” Shiro asked patiently.

“Lord Maddox…”

“Well he’s no longer your master Lance. If you don’t want to tell me you don’t have to, but I’d love to hear more about your family.”

This was clearly the right thing to say, because Lance’s face split in a wide grin.

“Well… Most Mora Kai are barren, Sir. Although originally engineered to allow both males and females to carry kittens, selective breeding has… narrowed the gene pool, so to say. Unfortunately, it’s very rare to find a mated pair capable of producing offspring.”

Lance leaned forward conspiratorially, “That’s why Lord Maddox gave me to you instead of my sisters, since they have a better chance of getting pregnant than I do.” 

Shiro was reeling but Lance shrugged, unconcerned, “Girls are more fertile, they say. I even heard that back in the day the Mora were able to impregnate the Kai! Can you imagine? The kittens didn’t live very long outside of the womb though.” His ears drooped, before popping back up.

“You’re very good at getting me to talk, Sir,” he smiled cheekily, “I can’t remember the last time I said this much out loud.”

Shiro found that hard to believe. Lance was so bubbly and vibrant, his eyes bright as he chattered on about his family. But it was spoken so matter-of-factly that Shiro didn’t doubt the truth in his statement. And as Lance had said, he couldn’t lie.

“I can’t remember the last time anyone spoke this much in this bedroom to be honest,” Shiro rubbed the back of his neck. “Never, probably?”

Lance grinned before sitting up straighter, his tail rewrapping around his waist.

“So, did you want to fuck me?” He asked, cheerfully.

A lesser man would have balked but sex was the only area of this conversation that Shiro had a handle on.

“I do,” he said steadily. 

“Good,” Lance purred, his ears flicking forward with interest.

“Not now, though,” Shiro continued and Lance’s ears drooped briefly before perking back up. “It’s important to me that you understand you’re not here for sex Lance.”

Lance wrinkled his nose but moved his head in agreement.

“Good,” Shiro stood up. “Now, let me show you around the castle. Well find your clothes and I think I’d like to read that pamphlet.”

Lance scoffed, “Only if you let me correct it as you go,” he slapped his hands against his mouth and looked up mortified, only to find Shiro grinning back at him. 

“Obviously.”


	2. A Moral Dilemma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by the wonderful Hannaadi88
> 
> I'd like to stress that this story is an AU and picks and chooses which parts of canon apply. While we're all very excited for Shiro's past with Adam to be revealed, his does not exist in this story. No clones or astral plane death sentence either.
> 
> Sorry bout it.

**CARING FOR YOUR MORA KAI!**

Congratulations on your recent purchase! Adding a Mora Kai to your family can be incredibly exciting and it’s important that you and your family are well informed on how to care for your pet! Learn which Kai products are essential, what to expect during the first 30 days, which health issues to watch for and more.

Shiro frowned at the piece of paper in his hands. This looked like the same pamphlet he’d picked up when he adopted a hamster from the pet store as a kid. He flipped it over and glanced at the back, where there was a list of ways to _encourage your Mora Kai to bond with you!_

All of them sexual. 

Shiro sighed.

There was a brief description of various illnesses, but they seemed pretty standard, watch for high fevers, chills, vomiting. 

What Mora Kai should eat - anything really - but with stress on a high protein diet with lots of meat.

All in all, a very unhelpful guide.

It was hard to believe Lance was the same tense, crying Mora Kai they’d met that morning on the newly liberated planet Mora. Shiro had spent the rest of the day showing Lance around the castle, familiarizing him with the layout and features. 

Lance had been bouncing with excitement, leading Shiro all over the ship, into rooms he’d never even thought to enter, all the while asking questions, oohing and ahhing appropriately.

They’d run into Coran at one point, whom Lance was instantly smitten with. Coran seemed just as taken with Lance and his enthusiasm for the royal advisor’s tales. Shiro had left them alone for a bit to go and fetch lunch, and when he returned he found Coran sitting cross legged on the floor, Lance splayed out on his stomach before him, chin in his hands as he stared up at the older man, enraptured by his story.

They finished up the tour and Coran had promised Shiro he would gather all the information they could possibly need on the Mora Kai, just in case.

Shiro had made it a point to avoid the other Paladins at all costs. He didn’t think it was going to be a problem having Lance around them – although he couldn’t forget the look Hunk had given them – but he didn’t want to overwhelm the Mora Kai.

Lance seemed to be handling everything fairly well, but there was a reason he’d asked to stay with Shiro. 

And Shiro couldn’t deny, there was something about Lance that drew to him. Called him in, almost. From the second Maddox had brought him out, he’d been unable to look away. 

And while at first it had been his slender body, his beautiful eyes and soft, playful tail that had caught his interest – it was his playful demeanor, his quickness to laughter and his trusting nature that kept him enthralled.

That night they’d eaten in Shiro’s room, cross legged on his bed facing one another. Lance had many times seemed to forget he was holding a spoon full of green goo as he listened to Shiro tell him about some of the places they’d been in the galaxy. 

“But weren’t you scared?” Lance asked, spoon inches from his mouth. 

“When everything is happening so fast, it’s almost like you forget to be scared,” Shiro shrugged. “The only times I get really scared is when something happens to the other Paladins.”

“You love them a lot,” Lance remarked.

Shiro paused, thinking of his teammates. They’d been together for years now, fighting side by side, spending almost all of their free time together. 

“They’re my family,” he said simply. 

Lance chewed and swallowed carefully before he asked, “Are you involved with any of them?”

“Not romantically, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Lance raised a brow, “Sexually?”

Shiro huffed a laugh, “No Lance, not sexually either.”

Lance hummed, “I find that very surprising.”

“Oh?” Shiro found he was quite enjoying Lance’s candidness.

Lance set his now empty bowl on the nightstand and Shiro did the same. “Well, you’re the leader. Surely that means you could have any of them that you want.”

Lance looked at him as if this was the obvious way of things and Shiro shook his head.

“That’s not how things work where we come from. Consent and mutual attraction play a big part in our relationships.”

“Is that why you haven’t fucked me yet, Sir?” Lance asked, serene.

Shiro was beginning to experience that out of depth feeling again. “I suppose… that’s part of it, yes.”

Lance moved towards him on the bed, until he was only a few inches from sitting in Shiro’s lap. “Because, I’m consenting. And I’m definitely attracted.” He smiled cutely, before it drooped, and his ears lost some of their bounce. 

“Unless… you’re not attracted to me?”

Shiro couldn’t seem to stop himself from grabbing Lance around the waist and pulling the Mora Kai to straddle him.

“How can I not be attracted to you Lance, you’re so beautiful,” the smile was back, accompanied by the light purr. “But the consent factor does seem… less clear.”

Lance made a face, “But Sir, I can consent! I am right now!” He pressed his mouth softly to the underside of Shiro’s chin and nuzzled, his purring vibrating through them both. 

Shiro pushed him gently away, but not before returning his own kiss to Lance’s exposed neck. 

“You’ve only gotten here today Lance, we don’t have to rush into anything,” he pressed another kiss to soothe the rebuff. Shiro realized quickly that this method of apology was the wrong one when Lance moaned breathily.

He pulled back with a blush, “Sorry.”

Lance looked hurt, there was no other word for it. Shiro’s heart ached to see it. 

“You’re going to sleep with me tonight, yeah?” Shiro asked, trying to distract Lance. “Do you like to cuddle?”

A small smile spread on the Mora Kai’s face, “I love to cuddle.”

“Well that’s perfect, because I am a cuddler and I haven’t had anyone I’ve wanted to cuddle with in years!”

Lance giggled, “That’s so long to go without cuddling!”

“It really is,” Shiro agreed. “Let’s get ready for bed and then it’s cuddle-city.”

They showered separately, after a brief argument from Lance, who he was quickly learning was an opportunist, and changed into sleepwear.

A second closet had appeared in the wall next to Shiro’s while they’d been out that day, and that was a good thing because Maddox had sent enough clothes for a small harem of Mora Kai. Most of the outfits were silky and sheer, so they didn’t take up much space, but there were enough of them that the closet was packed. 

Lance had changed into a gauzy light blue nightgown that skimmed the top of his thighs. While the robes he’d worn earlier had a small slit for his tail, this had none, as it was short and loose enough that Lance’s tail could swish freely behind himself.

Shiro briefly considered forcing him into a pair of his own sweatpants – he’d cut a hole in the back if he had to.

Lance jumped onto the bed and looked at him so innocently though, Shiro couldn’t sense an ounce of attempted seduction. Lance was just effortlessly sexy. 

Shiro was so screwed.

He got into bed after the Mora Kai, gently sliding the smaller man over until they both had room to lie down. He pressed the button on his nightstand to deactivate the lighting and situated himself on the bed, pulling Lance up against him.

The room was immediately filled with the sound of Lance’s purring, his ears flicking the underside of Shiro’s chin as he settled his head against Shiro’s shoulder, splayed hand on his chest. He swung his knee up over Shiro’s waist and his tail wrapped itself around Shiro’s upper thigh loosely.

It was a bit like cuddling a koala.

It had been years since Shiro had shared a bed with someone. He honestly couldn’t recall whoever it had been. They certainly hadn’t cuddled, that was for sure.

He allowed himself to relax bit by bit, his Galran arm coming up to hold Lance around the waist, his other hand moving to hold Lance’s thigh. His body was vibrating from Lance’s purr.

It was a lot more enjoyable than it should have been.

“I’ve never done this,” Lance said quietly, his voice soft.

“Cuddle?” Surely not?

“No… I’ve never laid down to sleep with someone without… you know.”

Up until this point, Shiro had thought Lance to be without shyness, but it was there in the tone of his voice, just a little.

“Well, I mean, I’ve always shared a bed with someone. My parents… or my sisters, at the Maddox Manor.” He snuggled closer to Shiro. “But no one who wasn’t family.”

Shiro rolled his body slightly, until he could hold Lance against himself, pressing the Mora Kai’s face into the hollow of his throat. Lance’s words were a harsh reminder that he’d lived his life for the pleasure of others, and it weighed heavily on Shiro’s mind.

He tried to keep his tone light when he said, “I don’t believe you. No one is this good at cuddling without serious practice.”

Lance giggled softly, pressing a kiss to Shiro’s throat. Shiro couldn’t help but squeeze Lance gently one last time before settling them both more comfortably in the bed. 

Lance’s purr eventually gave way to soft little snores, his mouth slightly open – Shiro could see the tip of one fang. 

God, he was so beautiful. 

Shiro hasn’t been lying when he’d told Lance that he wanted to fuck him. Sex had been such an integral part of his life, prior to the Kerberos mission, prior to being a Galra slave. 

Before he had a team of young, impressionable Paladins looking up to him as a leader, he’d had the freedom to be himself, to embrace his hedonistic side. 

He wanted nothing more than to put Lance on his knees, show him who the Black Paladin of Voltron truly was.

Plus, Lance was obviously gagging for it.

But there was something about Lance… One moment he was in control, intelligent and self-possessed. The next he was sweet and innocent, unsure and questioning. 

When he and Lance had discussed the parameters of their relationship that morning, Lance had been confident and poised. He was so well spoken and had freely shared information with Shiro with composure. 

But the Mora Kai splayed on his stomach at Coran’s feet, gasping at the Altean’s stories had been almost childlike, full of wonder and trust. 

What kind of life had Lance led, where he was expected to serve his master sexually, then returned to a bed he shared with his sisters like a child.

Shiro ran his hand down Lance’s spine and froze when the snores cut off to be replaced with purring again. He held his breath, waiting, as Lance wrapped his arms tighter around Shiro’s waist, butting his head against the large chest, before the purring faded back into gentle snores.

Shiro huffed a laugh. Lance was definitely entertaining. And so, so endearing.

And it was incredibly comforting to have another person in his bed, wrapped up around him. Shiro hadn’t been lying when he’d told Lance he liked to cuddle. 

He closed his eyes, relaxing against the smaller man, allowing the hushed, rhythmic snoring to lull him to sleep.

+

An onsen. 

Man, it had been _years_ since Shiro had last been in an onsen.

His grandparents owned and operated a bed and breakfast lodge, with multiple onsen, that he’d visited countless times as a child. The best part was that it was up in the mountains, always surrounded by snow, so that you could sit and soak in the warm water for hours without getting hot.

Currently he was only in to his chest, and surrounded by fluffy snow banks, but despite that he was burning up. Sweating even!

He ran his hand over his face, wiping away the moisture he found. 

God, it was hot. Maybe he should get out? He put his hand on the rock below him and started to push himself out of the water, but something seemed to be holding him down. 

He growled slightly and tried again, struggling to climb out of the pool. 

Something brushed against his face softly, and Shiro whipped his head in the direction it had come from.

Was there someone else here?

“Who are you? Show yourself!” He tried to say, but what came out was, “Hoormuu? Shhhursif.”

That touch on his face again! And was that… giggling?

Shiro opened his eyes with a soft gasp.

“Good morning, Sir,” Lance said with a smile. He was a tiny furnace, splayed across Shiro’s chest, legs straddling hips. They were tangled in Shiro’s heavy comforter, the one he usually pushed off in the middle of the night. 

Shiro lifted a hand to his own head, finding it only slightly damp with sweat. 

“Oh,” was all Shiro said, relaxing back against the mattress.

“Did you know you talk in your sleep?” Lance asked him, eyes bright.

“I’ve heard that before, yeah. Didn’t say anything embarrassing, did I?”

Lance grinned, “Only that you’re out of your mind with desire for me and plan to ravish me on every surface of this castle, starting now.” He slid his body down then, grinding his crotch against Shiro’s now obvious morning erection. 

“Whoa,” Shiro grabbed Lance’s hips to pull him away, “Somehow I doubt that.”

Lance’s pout was obvious from his ears to his mouth, but it didn’t last long. “Well I’m glad you’re awake, do humans always sleep this long?”

Shiro glanced at the clock, 6:15 AM shone back at him in obnoxious red. This was certainly later than he usually slept but not unusual for other people.

“Do you usually sleep less?” He asked.

Lance hummed, “I suppose not, but not altogether like you do. I was up a few times, I slept a bit here and there.”

“Cat naps,” Shiro said almost to himself. 

“What?” Lance asked, confusion on his face.

“Nothing,” he smiled, warmth in his chest. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes…” Lance purred, struggling to rub himself down against Shiro again.

Shiro huffed a laugh, “For breakfast?” 

Lance deflated, “Yeah, alright.” He stood up from the bed and moved towards the closet, “You know, no one has ever held out against me for this long before. Not that anyone has ever _tried,_ of course. You’re gonna give me a complex.”

Shiro did laugh then, sitting up to watch as Lance pawed through his clothes before choosing a dark blue garment. Lance didn’t hesitate, stripping his nightgown off, not even giving Shiro enough time to think about looking away. 

His face was turned towards the closet as he sorted out the clothes he was about to put on, so all Shiro could see was his backside, which was sinewy with muscles and perfectly round at his bottom. His tail protruded from the base of his spine, just above his pert ass. 

Shiro could have stared at that ass for hours but his eye was caught by a large, dark marking on Lance’s left shoulder blade. It was perfectly round and intricate, what looked like script mixed with indecipherable symbols. 

A tattoo.

Lance slid the blue fabric over his head, pulling it down. It was sleeveless and fell all the way to his mid-calf. Shiro watched as he reached in through the slit in the back to pull his tail free. Lance turned around and he could see the Mora Kai’s sharp claws flashing as he fasted the delicate buttons that ran from his throat to the hem. There were two long slits that split the fabric in front of his thighs, all the way up to his crotch.

He couldn’t help noticing that Lance did not put on any type of underwear, and that if he were caught in a breeze of some kind, everything would be exposed.

Shiro swallowed and looked up to find Lance’s eyes on his, an almost predatory smirk on his face. 

“Breakfast?” He asked, voice innocent and sweet.

Shiro squinted at the other man, considering, before he got up and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. 

Breakfast was always an interesting affair in the castle.

It was always a guess at who would even be there, as he and Keith generally ate early in order to spend morning times in the training room. Pidge was either there, sipping something caffeinated, distracted by her current project, or still asleep, having finally crashed after days of work.

Allura and Coran almost always met for breakfast, but they ate quickly and efficiently before returning to their daily tasks.

Hunk was the only guarantee for breakfast, and he stayed there the longest, either cooking or eating.

The mornings that he cooked, almost everyone would turn up to eat, either lured by the scent of real almost-but-not-quite earth fare, or by word of mouth – the _Hunk made food_ telephone game more effective than a siren. 

Shiro could smell something sweet that grew stronger the closer they got to the kitchen. 

“What is that?!” Lance’s pupils were round as he looked at Shiro. It was an expression eerily reminiscent of the lustful face he’d woken up to that morning. 

“Let’s find out,” Shiro replied, and with a hand on the small of Lance’s back, led them into the kitchen.

Everyone was there, and their faces snapped to the doorway the second they entered.

“Good morning,” Shiro said, trying to ignore the blatant staring.

Lance either didn’t notice or wasn’t concerned, his attention caught by the tray of sticky buns on the counter. Hunk was holding another set, mittens protecting his hands.

Lance sidled up to the counter, and leaned over to take a sniff, his tail lashing behind him.

“Ohhh…” his voice was a warbled mix between a moan and a purr. His eyes jumped to Hunk, “You made this?”

Hunk stepped back in surprise, before an odd look came over his face, and he nodded, dropping the other pan next to the first. “Do you… want one?”

Lance’s face lit up, “Really?” 

Shiro had never seen Hunk’s face so calculated, oddly shuttered, as if he was trying to hide his thoughts from the group of people watching them.

Lance was oblivious, not knowing Hunk, and thus unconcerned. He smiled sweetly up at the Yellow Paladin, eyes warm, ears flicked forward in interest. 

“Sure,” Hunk replied slowly, grabbing a spatula to scoop out a sticky bun and set on a small plate. He handed it to Lance, who took it with both hands. 

“How do I eat it?” He asked, tail held oddly still as he considered the bun.

“With your hands? Or uhm, a fork if you want,” Hunk looked around as if there might be one sitting on the countertop.

Lance hummed, “Hands are good!” He moved towards the table but froze – as if suddenly remembering where he was – and turned to look at Shiro questioningly.

Shiro, who was rapidly learning Lance’s body language, nodded and gestured towards the table and chairs. Lance flashed him a grin and moved to sit at the table, claws immediately digging into the sticky bread.

Shiro watched for a moment before looking back to Hunk, only to be caught on the receiving end of a vicious glare.

_This is going to be a problem._

Ignoring the breakfast, it was hard to take a bun without stepping further into the dark gaze, Shiro poured himself a drink. It was pale green and smelled like flowers but tasted almost identical to coffee and provided similar caffeinated effects. If he closed his eyes, it was almost like the real thing.

He took a seat next to Lance, who was halfway into his sticky bun.

“Does all human food taste like this?” He asked, turning to Shiro. “Because if so, I’m sorry to tell you, you’re never getting rid of me. I’ll hide out in this castle if I have to.”

Shiro laughed, “Unfortunately you kind of started off with the best of the best, but everything Hunk makes is delicious.” 

“Well then maybe I’ll just take him with me,” he exposed sharp teeth with a grin. “I want to eat these every day for the rest of my life.”

The audience seated at the table seemed to breathe out a collective breath and Shiro looked at them all questioningly. It wasn’t until he saw the beaming smile Coran had directed towards Lance that he realized – none of them had heard Lance speak beyond his first request to stay with Shiro.

It was easy to look at Lance and see only a Mora Kai, _a sex slave_ as Hunk had put it, only capable of pleasing their master. But to hear him speak, to get a taste of his true feisty, funny personality – it was a stark reminder that Lance was a person, an intelligent, self-possessed being. 

Allura had told them all that the Mora Kai were genetically engineered, as if that somehow made them less autonomous. But to talk with Lance, it was hard to believe he lived in a world that thought him lesser. 

There was absolutely no difference between Lance and the Mora they had spoken and worked with on their planet. Absolutely no difference between Lance and Maddox.

Yet Lance had been born into servitude and found nothing wrong with it.

“But then again, I feel like these would make me fat,” Lance sighed, running his clawed finger through the glaze on his plate, popping it into his mouth.

Allura made a moan of agreement, drawing everyone’s attention. She looked at them, blushing slightly. “What? He’s right!”

Suddenly the tension was broken, and everyone seemed to return to their regular breakfast activities as if it was a normal day.

Pidge turned to Lance, “So how long did you live with Lord Maddox?” 

Lance looked startled for a moment, then thoughtful, “Oh awhile, since I was like ten deca-pheobes I think? And I’m oh,” he held up his fingers, “like nineteen now, I’m pretty sure.”

“Wow you were really young when you went!” Pidge’s face was creased with concern.

Lance shrugged, “Was I? It was pretty normal I think? I mean, my sisters were a little older when they came to live at the Manor, but girls always go later.”

“You have sisters?” Pidge asked, and so Lance began to speak, telling her about his family. Shiro only half listened, as he’d already heard everything Lance was saying, and took the moment to observe the team. 

Coran and Allura were discussing something, but it was obvious they were listening in on Lance’s story. 

Keith and Pidge were both leaning in, actively involved with questions and comments. Shiro was shocked when he heard Keith _laugh_ at something Lance had said. 

Shiro finally turned to look at Hunk, who had yet to take a seat at the table. His eyes were on Lance, concern evident.

Shiro stood and walked towards Hunk, “Can we speak?” he asked, focusing on keeping his voice calm.

Hunk tore his gaze away from the table, and looked at Shiro, eyebrow raised. Finally, he nodded, and gestured towards the hallway. “One tick,” he told Shiro, as he grabbed another plate with a sticky bun on it.

He walked over to Lance, taking the Mora Kai’s empty plate and setting down the new one. Lance looked up at him, eyes bright and face split in a smile, “Thank you, Sir!”

Hunk made a face, “Eat as many as you want, and please don’t call me sir.”

“Oh… What should I call you?” Those guileless baby blues peered up at the Yellow Paladin.

“My name is Hunk, call me that.”

“Yes, Sir! Er-“ Lance blushed, “Thank you, Hunk.”

Hunk smiled at him softly and turned to follow Shiro out of the room.

The Black Paladin led them to the lounge, taking a seat on the couch and gestured towards it for Hunk to join him. After a sufficiently awkward amount of time had passed with no words exchanged, he finally asked, “What’s bothering you?”

Irritation flashed in Hunks face briefly, “I don’t like this, man.”

Shiro made a go-on gesture with his Galran arm.

“Lance, he seems nice enough, but I don’t know…” he trailed off, eyes on the floor. “There’s something dirty about this whole thing.”

“I agree,” Shiro told him, and Hunk looked up surprised.

“Then why did you say he could come with us?”

Shiro shook his head, he’d been asking himself that same question from the moment he’d agreed. “I don’t know. There was just something about him, standing so quiet in that room while everyone discussed him like he wasn’t there.”

He looked directly in Hunk’s eyes, “That whole _Mora Kai industry_ Maddox was talking about, it sounds horrifying.”

Hunk nodded, “He told Pidge they sent him there when he was ten. You don’t think they… when he was that little?”

Shiro didn’t say anything, he didn’t even want to think about it. Lance seemed so normal, so well-adjusted. But if he had been raised to believe everything in his life was exactly how it was meant to be, why wouldn’t he appear that way.

“Did you?” Hunk’s voice was hard again, his eyes boring into Shiro as if he would be able to see it. 

“No,” Shiro shook his head. “But I don’t know how long I’ll be able to say that. Lance is… relentless.”

“So put him in a different room, drop him on a different planet, don’t act like you _have_ to fuck him.” His voice was gaining volume. 

Shiro made a face, he couldn’t help feeling insulted, despite the fact that Hunk’s concerns were real. Shiro _did_ want to have Lance in that way.

“I’ve already offered him another room, he refused. He told me that he’s never slept alone, he always shared a bed with his sisters if not his… master.” Shiro sighed. “Allura was spot on when she said they needed to be touched. He’s like a sponge for affection.”

It was Shiro’s turn to throw a hard look, “And would you really have us just drop him off on some random planet? A being who has never looked after himself a day in his life? A _highly sought after sex slave?”_

Hunk had the good grace to look ashamed, “No, I didn’t really mean that… This whole thing, it’s just – _ugh_ – it’s wrong. And now it feels like we’re complicit in this dirty, trafficking ring.”

“I _do_ understand what you’re saying Hunk, I think there’s a lot more to this Mora Kai thing than Maddox let on. But to take him back, or force him away from us, it just seems like ignoring the problem. For better or worse, Lance is my responsibility now.” 

“He’s everyone’s,” Hunk said simply. “You saw them at breakfast, they already love him.”

Shiro smiled wryly, “He is very loveable.” He looked at Hunk then, making eye contact. “I would never hurt Lance… And if anything _like that_ does happen, it would only be with his express permission.”

“I know you’re a good guy Shiro,” Hunk told him. “But you’re still a guy. And I’m not gay or anything, but even I can tell Lance is temptation wrapped in a smile. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

_Me fucking too._

They walked back to the kitchen, this time the silence much less strained.


	3. Friendly Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> take three on posting, im in html hell
> 
> thanks for the love guys, it means a lot

“And you just sit here and grip these handles?”

Lance was absolutely swimming in the Black Paladin’s seat, his feet unable to touch the floor. Shiro hadn’t thought their height difference too great, but the evidence told him otherwise. 

Lance was also slender and willowy. Even with his plush, round ass he left plenty of room on the seat.

Shiro suddenly had a very clear vision of himself seated in that chair, Lance straddling his lap, Shiro’s large hands gripping his hips as he pulled the smaller man down against him. 

Shiro shivered and looked around the cockpit of his lion accusingly, _not now boy._

Lance didn’t notice his distraction, too entranced by the control panels which were lit up around them.

When Lance had asked to see the Lions, Shiro hadn’t hesitated until he started to take Lance inside of his own. Shiro’s relationship with the Black Lion was strong, their bond running deeper than any he’d ever experienced, and he was worried his Lion might find Lance’s presence obtrusive. His worry was for naught however, as the Black Lion seemed absolutely enamored with Lance. 

Lance had answered his Lion’s inquisitive chuffing with a friendly chirp and warm purr, and Shiro had relaxed when he felt the tenderness spread through his bond with the Lion.

“He likes you,” Shiro told Lance, relief evident in his tone.

“I’m very likable,” Lance told him, sticking his tongue out playfully. 

“I’m starting to realize that,” Shiro laughed, thinking of breakfast. Everyone on the team had warmed to Lance so quickly, even Keith, who Shiro knew was particularly wary of strangers. 

Hunk’s attitude towards the Mora Kai had taken a one-eighty, and Shiro couldn’t help feeling a little jealous at how much Lance obviously liked the Yellow Paladin. Food aside, Lance had given Hunk his fullest attention, leaning his head nearer invitingly, until Hunk had finally given in and pet his ears. 

It was good though. He wanted everyone to like Lance. He wanted everyone to feel the same protective response that had already coiled low in his gut in regard to Lance. He wanted them to love him.

That way when he suggested the crazy idea brewing in his head, they would be more likely to say yes.

“Everything okay, Sir?” Lance asked him, looking up sweetly with concern.

Shiro shook himself from his thoughts, “Sorry, spacing out! I’m gonna have to leave you for a bit soon, we have training exercises I can’t skip out on.”

Lance’s ears dipped morosely, “Okay.”

“Anything you wanna do while I’m busy?” Shiro asked, ignoring the way Lance’s unhappiness pinged in his chest. How was he already in this deep, _get a grip, Shirogane._

Lance hummed thoughtfully, “Can I swim?”

Shiro’s brows raised in surprise, “Absolutely. Let’s get you a towel.”

They’d made it all the way to the pool when Shiro was suddenly struck with a thought, “Oh, do you have something to wear?”

Lance made a face that told Shiro he was questioning his sanity, “To swim in?”

Shiro nodded and Lance shook his head with a laugh, “Uhm no, you swim naked, Kashi.” 

Shiro felt heat in his stomach at that. It was the first time Lance had called him anything but sir, and it satisfied a primal part of him that he hadn’t fed in years.

Lance’s face told Shiro he knew exactly what he’d done, and he held eye contact as he bent slightly to grip the hem of his shift, pulling it over his head in one swift movement. 

Fully dressed Lance was stunning. Naked, he was overwhelming. 

“Well, I’ve got to get to training!” Shiro announced, voice high.

Lance laughed, “Aww, don’t go, Sir.”

Shiro didn’t bother looking back, even when he heard the splash of Lance jumping into the pool. 

+

“So, how’s it going?” Keith asked Shiro as they stood in the locker room redressing. 

“I have a cat-boy-sex-slave sleeping in my bed, how’s it going with you?” Shiro asked, pulling a clean black undershirt over his head.

Keith snorted, “Pretty sure I saw this in an anime once.”

Shiro picked up his sweaty spandex shirt and threw it at Keith’s head but the Red Paladin slapped it out of the air just in time, making a disgusted face.

“It’s fine,” Shiro picked his clothes and towel up, throwing them into the laundry shoot, Keith right behind him. “Lance is sweet.”

“I bet he is,” Keith huffed, throwing Shiro a knowing look as they left the locker room.

“Get your head out of the gutter, Kogane,” Shiro rolled his eyes. “I didn’t touch him.”

Keith’s eyebrows raised, “Oh?”

“I didn’t bring him here to pounce on him,” Shiro told him.

“So you wouldn’t mind if I just-” Keith began.

“Don’t even think about it,” Shiro cut him off, voice harsh.

Keith threw his head back in laughter, “Oh shit, you only met him yesterday and you’ve got it _bad.”_

Shiro rolled his eyes and continued his path to the pool room. 

“You may have the rest of this castle tricked into believing you’re a saint, but I know the real Shiro,” Keith smiled at him. “I know what a downlow pervert you are.”

_”Keith,”_ Shiro warned and the Red Paladin held up his hands placatingly.

“I’m just saying, no one would blame you,” Keith shrugged. 

“Hunk would,” was all Shiro offered, but Keith waved away his concerns.

“I get where he’s coming from, that whole Mora versus Mora Kai thing is weird and frankly, kind of creepy. But Lance doesn’t seem any different than the rest of us. Just, ya know, with a tail.” He made a swishing motion with his hand. 

“He’s lived a very different life than we have,” Shiro reminded him, thinking back to breakfast. 

Keith shrugged again, “Everybody’s got their baggage.”

Shiro considered this but didn’t reply. He pushed open the door to pool room and made a face when Keith followed him in.

The pool was empty, Lance nowhere to be seen.

No, there was something, towards the bottom, a dark blur. 

Shiro and Keith watched as Lance slowly swam towards the top. His body was obscured by the wall of the pool, but they could see the black tips of his ears, then his forehead and finally his eyes. The rest remained below the surface, but Shiro could see his close-mouthed smile under the water. 

Keith whistled a low, long tune and Shiro turned to him. 

“Bye Keith,” he said, pushing the other man towards the door. 

“Why do I-“ Keith started but Shiro just pushed him harder.

_”Bye Keith!”_ Shiro said louder.

Keith rolled his eyes but left the room and Shiro turned back towards Lance, who was still grinning underwater, this time with sharp teeth showing.

“How long can you stay underwater?” Shiro asked curiously. Lance’s nose and mouth had not broken the surface. 

Lance rose up a little higher until he could say, “A long time,” before plunging back underwater.

Shiro watched him as he swam, graceful and quick. Like a little otter, or a mermaid. Everything about Lance seemed feline, from his almond shaped pupils, to triangle ears and his swishy tail. 

But cats didn’t like water, right?

Or wait… Big cats did. Tigers and panthers and stuff. Shiro vaguely remembered seeing a tiger swimming in the water at the zoo when he was a kid. 

Looking at Lance, he could see it in the way he swam, an elegant dog paddle. The Mora Kai… They were such an odd species. 

Shiro was pulled from his thoughts by Lance breaking the surface with a splash, pulling himself out of the water. He grabbed the towel, and Shiro was unsurprised to see that Lance didn’t bother covering himself, instead using it to dry his hair. 

Shiro had never noticed how interesting the pool room ceiling was. 

Lance pulled his navy-blue shift back on, adjusting it until it sat right. Once he was dressed he stepped closer to Shiro.

“You can look now,” he said softly, face coy. 

“Are you hungry?” Shiro asked, reaching out to hold Lance’s waist, still keeping a bit of distance between them.

Lance nodded and moved closer, a purr emanating from his chest. 

_I have got to stop asking that question._

Shiro ignored the heat in Lance’s face, reaching down to tangle their fingers, and he led them from the room.

“Perfect, it’s lunchtime.”

+

After lunch, Lance had spent the afternoon with Coran, while Shiro and Allura coordinated the next step in their plans for Voltron.

It was something Shiro enjoyed immensely, discussing the logistics of their forces, determining the best course of action, working with the coalition and the Blades. 

Shiro was in his element.

And while thoughts of Lance weren’t _distracting_ per se, they sat at the back of his mind, popping up anytime there was a lull in the planning. 

He’d never wanted to pack up for the day so badly. It was a constant pull, the fact that he had someone waiting for him to finish, someone who wanted to spend their time with him. Shiro sighed.

“Okay, that’s about all I can take of pining Shiro for one day, I think we’ll wrap this up,” Allura told him, waving goodbye to the faces on her viewscreen before deactivating them completely. 

“I’m not _pining,”_ Shiro told her, chagrinned.

“Oh? Does sighing desperately and gazing off into space mean something different on Earth than it does on Altea?” She laughed at his suddenly wide eyes.

“My sighs weren’t _desperate,”_ he mumbled under his breath and Allura threw back her hair, hand to her forehead as she exhaled gustily.

“Oh, Lance,” she said, her lilting voice stressing the A in a pleasing manner. 

“I hate you sometimes,” Shiro sniffed. 

It wasn’t true, of course. Besides Keith, Allura was the Paladin he was closest with. They were the nearest in age – excepting Allura’s ten-thousand-year sleep – and Shiro found they had a lot in common. Allura had become a confidante, someone he turned to for advice and for company.

“How is he though?” Allura asked, eyes flashing with intrigue. 

“He’s great, you’ve seen him,” Shiro did not like that gleam in her eye. “He’s already turned the team into his fan club.”

Allura leaned in, voice low “I meant… you know, in bed!”

God, he sometimes forgot what a nosy gossip Allura was. 

“I wouldn’t know, unless you meant as a sleeping partner in which case – clingy.”

The Princess gasped, “Really?” 

“Really,” Shiro assured her.

She hummed, “I’d always heard the Mora Kai were insatiable, maybe Lance isn’t interested?”

The Black Paladin blew his white bangs out of his face, “He’s plenty interested.”

“Then why haven’t you?” She paused and looked him up and down, “Are you into _women?”_

Shiro held his hand to his chest, offended at her tone, “So what if I am?” 

Allura merely turned with a shrug, “Well, that would make no difference to anyone except poor Lance, I’m just surprised is all.”

Shiro made a face, “Well I’m not,” he told her, hating the way her face lit up with an _as I thought_ look. He gave her an appraising nod, impressed despite himself. “How’d you know?”

She waved her hand through the air, “Oh you’re just the only person on this ship besides Coran who hasn’t made a pass at me.”

“Even Pidge?” Shiro asked, surprised.

Allura nodded, “Even Pidge.”

Shiro hummed, considering until Allura interrupted his thoughts. 

“So why haven’t you… _engaged_ with Lance?”

“Allura, he’s basically a slave. Maddox didn’t give him a choice, he doesn’t know any better.” He turned to the Princess accusingly, “You said yourself this situation was highly unusual.”

“Oh by all means, it is. But getting to know Lance more, it seems like he’ll fit in here. I can’t imagine he’ll be going anywhere else anytime soon. And he is so very taken with you,” she smiled warmly. “And I hate to break it to you, but someone is going to have to be intimate with Lance sooner or later, the Mora Kai need sexual stimulation to regulate their hormones.” 

Alarm bells sounded in Shiro’s head. _”What?”_

“I told you they thrive on contact,” she looked at him as if he was an idiot.

“Uhm, there’s a huge difference between _thrives on contact_ and _needs to be fucked or else.”_

“You’re being dramatic,” she told him, brushing off his concerns. “Penetration is not necessary. Erm… from what I understand.” 

“Oh well _thank God,”_ Shiro waved his arm through the air, as if to demonstrate his relief. 

“Well luckily, I did some research – with Coran’s valuable input – and found out some more about our new friend. The Mora Kai are a very interesting race, they were bred to be sexually motivated, to serve their masters… in that way. However it was almost _too effective”._

The Mora Kai needed constant sexual stimulation and so it became common for siblings to… take care of each other in that way. The Mora didn’t discourage it, and this led of course to interbreeding which led to sterility and the thinning of the Mora Kai population.”

She looked at Shiro sadly, “My father once said it was for the best, since the Mora didn’t necessarily treat their Kai very well. When the Mora Kai couldn’t breed anymore, they became almost unaffordable and the industry began to die out.”

She started walking towards the exit from the bridge and Shiro followed, his thought in turmoil.

“That’s why I was so surprised to see those that we did on planet Mora. I brushed it off as the fact that we were mostly working with the politically powerful, who would be able to afford such a luxury. But from the way Lord Maddox spoke, it sounds like there has been a resurgence in the population.”

“And the fact that he would just _give us one._ Is that not slightly suspicious?” Shiro finally spoke, his mind moving a million miles a minute.

“Do you not trust Lance?” Allura looked at him in surprise. “I thought the Mora Kai were incapable of deception.”

“No, I trust Lance,” he ran a hand through his hair. “Even if I didn’t know he couldn’t lie, he’s too genuine, too open.”

“He is that,” Allura agreed. 

“But Maddox… Him, I don’t trust at all.”

Allura titled her head, contemplating, “The Mora have always been allies of the Alteans, though we may not see eye to eye. I will, of course, bear your concerns in mind. Your insight is invaluable, Shiro.”

They walked down the hall until they reached the T that would take them separate ways. Allura turned to Shiro.

“Lance may have lived his life as a slave up ‘til this point, but you gave him a choice and he chose to be here,” and with that walked away.

Shiro headed the opposite direction towards the engineering room. He knew he was on the right path because he could hear sharp, bright laughter even through the metal doors. When they whooshed open, Shiro was surprised to find not just Lance and Coran, but also Pidge and Hunk.

Hunk was in the middle of a story, Pidge interjecting her take of what had really happened, Coran and Lance both perched on the desk, shaking with laughter.

There was no denying Lance was sexy, he was bred and conditioned to exude sex appeal. His body, his wardrobe, even his lilting, purring voice. But sitting there on the table, laughing with all of Shiro’s friends, he just looked so… loveable.

A tawny, smiling face turned towards him and Lance’s eyes lit up.

_And pretty._

“You’re back!” Lance sounded genuinely excited to see him, and Shiro felt his chest constrict. 

_He was so fucked._

+

They were sitting around the dinner table, everyone caught up in their own conversations, Hunk currently in the middle of explaining everything that went into his adobo to Lance. Lance had taken one bite and honest to God _moaned,_ enough to make the Yellow Paladin blush. He’d then finished the entire bowl and happily started on a second one, dipping his bread roll into the sauce as he listened intently to their resident chef.

“Normally I’d make it with pork, but ya know, I’m working with what I’ve got here, and this is a pretty decent substitute.”

Shiro was trying to follow along with Hunk’s recipe, not that he was ever going to start cooking, but he currently dealing with another dilemma. 

He was achingly hard.

Lance was an _active_ eater, to say the least. He hummed and whimpered at the delicious tastes, he used his fingers to wipe the bowl, sucking and licking them clean afterwards. It should have been off-putting, but Lance made even eating seductive. 

Lance pushed the bowl away with a quiet purr, licking his lips contently, and Shiro balled his hands, pressing the nails into his palm, no doubt leaving crescent shape marks.

He looked away from the Mora Kai at his side to see Keith smirking at him. When Shiro noticed him, Keith mouthed _pervert,_ eyes shining with mirth. 

Shiro narrowed his own eyes at the Red Paladin but was distracted when Lance reached out to touch his wrist. “Time to get ready for bed? He asked, and that was a loaded question if Shiro had ever heard one. 

Shiro hummed, “In a minute,” he said, doing everything to keep his face unreadable.

Keith snorted loudly, drawing everyone’s attention, but the younger man merely shrugged at them.

Once he’d finally willed himself down, he stood up and took Lance’s hand, leading him out of the dining area. 

And if he accidentally hip checked Keith’s shoulder on the way out, oh well.

Shiro realized he was losing his internal battle when he almost agreed to let Lance shower with him, the Mora Kai’s ears drooping just a little at being told no. 

Why was he hesitating? The Shiro of the past would have never let a pretty little thing like Lance leave his bed anything less than thoroughly wrecked. 

Shiro had never been shy about sex, not the first time he’d gone down on the boy next door, or the countless time he’d fucked for an audience at the various sex clubs he’d frequented. Keith wasn’t wrong when he’d called Shiro a pervert. He was, he would freely admit it – to the right audience.

There was nothing he loved more than dominating his partner, taking them apart until they were mindless with pleasure, then coaxing them back to life. A partner like Lance, so naturally submissive and uninhibited – it was Shiro’s wet dream. His ideal mate. 

But there was _still_ something holding him back!

It came to him suddenly, as he shampooed his hair, Lance already tucked into bed, dressed in an entirely different, yet still quite risqué night down.

During his time with the Galra, what he could remember of it, he’d been living entertainment. A slave. They hadn’t forced him to perform sexually – that he knew of – but they had treated him like a subspecies. He was paraded out when they wanted to watch him fight, to see him perform, then they’d stuck him back in his little cell, to await his next show. It was dehumanizing on a level Shiro couldn’t begin to describe.

He never wanted to make another living being feel that way.

Shiro finished his shower, changed into the long sleeve Henley and sweatpants he’d set out. He looked at himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. He tended to avoid reflective surfaces these days. The shock of white hair and the scar slashing his face always managed to surprise him, even after all this time. 

Shiro’s scars were visible and obvious. Lance’s… not so much. But they were there. Shiro had seen it in him the minute Maddox had brought him out.

Shiro returned to the room, thoughts heavy. Lance brighten the second he entered, but surprisingly said nothing. It was if he could sense Shiro’s mood. 

Was Lance naturally intuitive or was he just learned Shiro that quickly?

Shiro didn’t say a word as he crawled under the covers, shutting off the light, and laying down. He reached out and pulled Lance, back to front, and wrapped him up tightly. He couldn’t resist rubbing his face against the short ears in front of him.

He fell asleep to the soothing sound of Lance’s purr.


	4. Feeling Low

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> totally meant to post this last night, my b.
> 
> bad news guys, I am probably going to be moving to a weekly posting schedule as work had gotten hectic aka bullshit.
> 
> but good news, the story rating goes up this chapter :)

Days passed, much as the first one had. Shiro kept to his usual routine, though maybe with a bit less extra training. And a lot more daydreaming. 

They continued to share a bed, Lance pressed up against Shiro as closely as possible. Lance woke frequently throughout the night, sometimes remaining in bed purring, other times getting up, walking around the room, pacing the open space – corner, bathroom, nightstand – over and over until he finally returned to bed and slept.

Shiro often woke with Lance and watched him until the pacing lulled him back to sleep. They never spoke during those times.

He dreamt more frequently of his time as a Galra prisoner.

Shiro had yet to touch Lance in the way they both so obviously wanted. 

Oddly, though, was that Lance had stopped coming on to him. It was still there on his face, in his eyes as he watched Shiro get ready in the morning, or watched Shiro train with the team, he himself seated safely on the sidelines. 

It was possible that Lance had grown tired of the rebuff. There was only so much one could take, and as Lance had joked before, he wasn’t used to rejection.

Despite the undercurrent of attractional and denial, confusion and uncertainty, Shiro was surprised at how happy he felt. 

After years of feeling alone and apart from everyone, even his own team, Shiro found it incredibly pleasant to have this other person who he could spend time with, let down his guard around, if only just a bit.

Lance liked to talk, _a lot,_ but he also seemed to be genuinely interested in what Shiro had to say. He was a good listener, in that you could tell he was really engaged, actively participating in the conversation.

Shiro hadn’t talked to someone this much in years - not Allura, not even Keith.

In a weird roundabout way, Lance was becoming his closest friend.

Shiro left the training room, his thoughts far away from lunch or his usual evening routine with Allura. 

Lance had seemed off that morning. Where normally he bounded out of bed, thrilled over the fact that Shiro had slept a sufficient amount and would now be joining him in wakefulness, today had been different. 

For one thing, Lance was still asleep when Shiro had woken up. He took the rare occurrence for what it was, an opportunity to stare at Lance without being judged. 

Lance lay sprawled on his stomach, tail down between his legs, still for once. His head was pillowed on his arms and his breathing was shallow.

Shiro let himself indulge his growing desire to cosset Lance, running his fingers through Lance’s hair and up his soft ears. Lance didn’t wake up, and though he did lean slightly into the petting, his vibrant purr was nowhere to be heard. 

Shiro finally gave in, running his fingers through the glossy strands until he was running them across Lance’s face and down over his exposed throat. 

Lance began to stir and Shiro continued to caress his face, urging Lance to look up at him.

“Tired?” He asked, voice light.

Lance smiled softly, rolling over onto his back to give Shiro his full attention.

“I didn’t sleep much last night,” he told him, butting his head against Shiro’s hand, basking in the attention.

Shiro frowned, he hadn’t woken to Lance getting out of bed last night, and it was unusual for Lance to remain in bed every time he woke up.

“You want to go down for breakfast?” Shiro asked, but he could tell from Lance’s body language that he wouldn’t be leaving the bed anytime soon.

Lance had the remarkable ability to sleep anywhere, despite lack of comfort. He’d seen Lance lean against the wall of the training room and nap while the Paladins ran through their drills. He’d found Lance curled up, his tail wrapped around himself tightly, on the couches in the lounge. 

Shiro was self-aware enough to realize he was jealous of the ability, but that was neither here nor there.

Lance trilled a soft sound in his throat, rolling back over to press his face against the pillow. He peaked an eye up at Shiro, who could see the way it slid close before quickly reopening. 

“Alright,” Shiro told him, moving to leave. “If you get hungry you can help yourself to anything in the kitchen. I think there’s leftovers from Hunk’s dinner last night.”

There was that trilling noise again, but no words. Lance was already back asleep before Shiro had left the room. 

Shiro, no stranger to depressive days, recognized Lance’s lethargy for what it was. His concern was over the cause.

He stopped by the kitchens, grabbing a plate of food, choosing items rich in protein, and headed to his room. Something told him Lance had not left. 

His intuition was correct when he found Lance still in bed, this time wrapped tightly around a pillow, his face buried. 

“I brought something to eat,” Shiro told him, attempting to conceal his sudden anxiety. 

Lance looked up at him, and his tail thumped against the bed in recognition of last night’s meal, which Shiro placed on his desk. 

Shiro walked closer to the bed, until he could get a good look at Lance. His face was flushed, and without thinking Shiro reached out to press the back of his flesh hand against Lance’s cheek. He was definitely warm. 

At Shiro’s touch, Lance began to purr, although the closer Shiro listened, the more he realized it was less of a purr and more of a growl.

Lance pulled away, and the flush on his face was suddenly darker.

Shiro moved to kneel on the bed, and Lance tensed, his expression shuttered. 

“Are you feeling ill?” Shiro asked, moving so that Lance had to lean backwards on his hands, eyes forced to meet his.

“No,” Lance replied slowly, eyes never leaving Shiro’s face. 

A half-truth, Shiro could tell.

“I just… miss my sisters,” Lance told him quietly, eyes suddenly full of tears. 

That was not what Shiro had expected Lance to say. 

Shiro sat down heavily on the bed and Lance bounced slightly, before he was being pulled into strong arms. Shiro ran his hands up and down Lance’s back. He could feel the wet warmth spreading through his tee shirt, where Lance’s face was buried. 

Shiro was more than content to remain in that position, cuddling Lance in his lap, and they stayed there for some time until he was being pushed away, just enough so that Lance could look at him again.

His eyes were still glossy, but his cheeks were mostly dry, if slightly puffy. 

“That’s not all,” Lance said after a moment, and Shiro knew what was coming, Allura’s warning echoing in his mind.

“Tell me,” Shiro said, letting just a bit of his commanding authoritative tone bleed over. It was easy to let that side of himself have the reigns for a bit, almost second nature, despite how long it had been.

Lance moved, crawling more fully into Shiro’s lap, his knees on either side, pressing heavily to the mattress. 

“I need…” he rolled his hips, unbidden, and Shiro felt the press of Lance’s erection against his lower abdomen. He was fully unprepared for the heat that raced through his body, leaving him suddenly breathless. 

Lance was already pulling away, “I’m sorry,” falling from his mouth and Shiro could hear the wetness in his voice.

With the lightning quick reflexes born of his role as the Black Paladin, Shiro grabbed both of Lance’s forearms, crossing them behind the smaller man, effectively trapping Lance against him. His grip wasn’t strong enough to bruise, but it left Lance unable to move without pulling painfully at his shoulders. It also forced Lance’s chest against his own, kept his dick pressed down against Shiro’s lap.

Lance was panting, his eyes wide.

“Why are you apologizing?” The command in his voice was stronger now, and Lance’s ears stood at attention.

“I didn’t mean- You don’t want-“ Lance was looking anywhere but at Shiro, who felt a flash of irritation at the avoidance. 

He thrust his hips up slightly, bouncing Lance enough to bring his startled gaze back to Shiro’s.

“What did I tell you about eye contact?” 

“That you prefer it, unless told otherwise, Sir.” His blue eyes shot up to Shiro’s immediately.

_Goddamn._

“What do you need?” He asked again, steel in his voice.

Lance never broke eye contact, “I need to come, Sir.”

Shiro nodded slowly, and he squeezed his hands, holding Lance’s forearms for a second, signaling to Lance without words.

Lance rolled his hips again, pressing down against Shiro’s lap. He was panting again, and Shiro could barely see a slice of blue, Lance’s eyes were so heavily lidded.

He never looked away though.

Shiro thrust up, providing friction. Lance felt amazing in his lap, but he would never be able to come from this, so he focused on the man sitting astride him. 

It was clear from the noises Lance was making that he would have no problem reaching his peak, and even biting his bottom lip, he couldn’t hold back.

Shiro leaned forward, pressing Lance against himself more firmly, sliding his mouth from Lance’s collarbone up to his beautiful exposed neck. Lance’s moans were right at his ear, he was close, the volume of his cries ratcheting up.

Shiro continued his path until his mouth was just below Lance’s ear and he softly said, _”Good boy,”_ before biting down, just hard enough to mark.

The result was instantaneous and Shiro thrust up again as Lance ground against him as much as his current position allowed.

Lance was trembling, and Shiro continued to whisper soft praise until Lance’s breathing regulated. He pulled back to look at him and Lance immediately angled his face down so that he could look in Shiro’s eyes.

_Perfect._

Lance was so obedient, so well-trained. 

That derailed Shiro’s line of thought, and he felt the dominant side of himself let go suddenly, enough for Shiro to come back to himself.

Lance was only well-trained because he had no choice.

He released his grip on Lance’s arms, pulling them back around slowly, allowing the blood flow to return. Keeping one hand at Lance’s back as support, he rubbed Lance’s shoulders, feeling the muscles give way. Lance relaxed visibly in his lap, and Shiro gently pushed him backwards against the mattress. 

Shiro pressed a hand to Lance’s chest, feeling the rumble of a soft purr, and told him, “Stay here.”

Lance clearly had no intention of disobeying, and Shiro walked to the bathroom, grabbing a rag and running it under the warm water. He avoided looking at himself in the mirror, but he couldn’t help noticing the wet stain spreading across the front of his pants. Lance was still in his nightgown, no underwear to speak of, but this stain was not congruent to ejaculation. Very odd.

Putting it out of his mind for the time being, Shiro returned to his bedroom, finding Lance still on his back, his tail swaying where it fell over the edge of the bed. 

His eyes were closed, but his cheeks were no longer flushed and the tension Shiro had seen in his body earlier no longer remained. 

Shiro sat on the edge of the bed, sliding his hand up Lance’s side, pulling the pliant man up just enough that he could slide the nightgown off and toss it into a corner. 

Shiro’s earlier assumption was correct, Mora Kai definitely ejaculated, at least the males, as slightly sticky cum was already drying on his stomach. 

He slid the cloth across Lance’s stomach, pressing a hand to his thigh when Lance jumped slightly. He looked up to see blue eyes staring at him questioningly, and heard the soft, inquisitive trill.

“Relax, sweetheart,” Shiro told him, and he was not prepared for the pink that splashed across Lance’s face and upper chest. Lance did as he was told though, laying back, his purr returning in full force. 

Shiro made short work of the cleanup, quickly and efficiently wiping down all of the mess, trying his level best not to linger too much as he cleaned between Lance’s legs. Lance helpfully spread his legs, enough to give Shiro room but not enough to suggest he was trying to put himself on display.

It was enough, however, for Shiro to see the wet stain on his black sheets, right underneath Lance’s ass. His eyes widened when he realized what it was.

Holy shit, Lance was wet. Really wet… Mora Kai had evolved to self-lubricate, like a female human.

_Fuuuuck._

Shiro realized he’d spent too much time staring – his mind racing with what this revelation meant, it certainly explained the wet spot on his pants but also this was a game-changer when it came to sex – when Lance sat up on his elbow, an uncharacteristically shy expression.

Shiro shook his head once, sharply, mentally slapping himself. He threw the rag on top of Lance’s nightgown, before bodily lifting Lance up towards his own side of the bed, giving Shiro the room to lay down on his side next to him.

Lance rolled to face him, and his eyes were immediately drawn to Shiro’s tented pants. His erection had returned full force at the site of Lance’s dripping ass, even if he hadn’t gotten a very good look.

“I can-“ He started, reaching down but Shiro caught his hand, pulling it up to his mouth. 

“No,” was all he said, turning Lance’s hand until he could kiss the palm. 

Lance watched him, an expression on his face that Shiro had never seen and couldn’t interpret, so he quickly licked Lance’s palm, eliciting a surprised giggle.

That was a face he recognized, a face he wanted to see as much as possible, a face he wanted to kiss.

Shiro dropped the hand, moving his own to Lance’s back, pulling him forward. Lance’s startled noise was muffled by Shiro’s mouth, pressed firmly against his lips.

Shiro ran his hand down the soft skin of Lance’s back until he reached his tail, clasping it tight and sliding his fist along the soft fur until he reached the end. Lance’s tail thrashed playfully out of his grip.

Shiro felt the full body shiver this induced in Lance, a soft mewl Lance pressed against his lips. Shiro took this opportunity to press his tongue inside Lance’s mouth, licking across sharp teeth. He was not surprised to discover that Lance’s tongue was slightly rough, and very dexterous. 

What was surprising to Shiro was that Lance was a timid kisser. Almost shy, as if he didn’t do this very often. 

Shiro felt a burst of anger at that thought, and he growled slightly as he pulled away, only to dip back in, kissing Lance over and over until their mouths were swollen and they were both breathing heavily. 

He found himself lying half over Lance, arms on either side of his head, hands tangled in soft brown hair. Lance’s hands were pressed against his face, neither pushing nor pulling. 

They stared at each other for a moment, both of their eyes tracking the other’s face, as if trying to memorize this moment.

“I was beginning to think you didn’t like me,” Lance said softly, a soft smile belied by solemn eyes. 

Shiro released a deep breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding.

“I’m sorry I made you believe that.” He made sure to look directly at Lance, he deserved Shiro’s full attention, his respect.

“Was this because…” Lance began, his voice timid. “Did you find out?”

Lance looked away briefly, nerves obvious before he turned his face back to Shiro, resolute.

“I certainly know that brochure didn’t mention this,” Lance huffed.

Suddenly, Shiro knew what he was talking about. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” 

Lance’s eyes darted around the room before landing on Shiro’s face. 

“You’ve been so nice to me… And I didn’t want to push you. I’ve gone way longer before, I would have been fine!” Lance paused for a moment before continuing.

“And I’ve never had to ask for it before…” He shrugged. “I guess I didn’t really know how.”

“I doubt very many people have to be told to be intimate with a Mora Kai,” he said, and Lance smiled softly, shaking his head in the negative.

“You are a weird one,” Lance told him simply. 

He laughed lightly, smiling at Lance, who was relaxed until Shiro’s face turned serious.

“This was because you needed it,” Shiro told him, studying Lance for a reaction. “But also, because I wanted to.” 

He continued to run his fingers through Lance’s hair, “I like you very much, Lance.”

Lance squeezed his eyes closed, pushing his hands back to wrap around Shiro’s neck, pulling the larger man down against him fully. 

“I like you, too,” he whispered, and Shiro didn’t think he imagined the grief in Lance’s voice.

Lance was surprisingly sturdy, taking Shiro’s weight as if he were nothing, and Shiro couldn’t help filing that fact away for later examination. 

They rolled into a more comfortable position, Lance’s back to Shiro’s stomach. He was just starting to consider a nap when he caught sight of the tattoo.

He ran a finger around the circumference, looking at the foreign symbols. The outer ring and parts of the inside were lighter, faded with the passage of time. Woven into this was another ring with different symbols, this ink newer but still aged. 

“What does this mean?” Shiro asked, ignoring the way Lance was tensing against him.

“It’s a master’s seal – an ownership mark,” he was already starting to relax against Shiro again.

“One for your first master and the second from Maddox?” 

Lance nodded, and Shiro ignored the way it burned at his throat. 

It was rage at the idea of Lance being branded like cattle. And as a child, no less.

But it was also a bit of possessive jealousy at another man’s mark on Lance. 

Ashamed at himself and empathetic of Lance’s servitude, Shiro pulled Lance back against him, pressing kisses to the back of his neck until they both fell asleep.

+

Shiro was dreaming. He _knew_ he was dreaming.

But it didn’t stop the terror from clawing up his throat as he stood in the middle of the arena, thousands of Galra cheering from the stands. 

He sensed the attacker behind him before he heard him, and Shiro ducked, side-stepping the beast he was up against. He had activated his Galran arm and slashed across the monster’s back, dark blood spilling across the sand.

Of course, it wasn’t enough, and Shiro jumped back to dodge the next assault. He was just about to go in for another attack when a yowling cry cut through the air. 

Both Shiro and his assailant paused, turning towards the sound. 

_Lance._

He was sitting in the arena, in one of the flimsy nightgowns he liked so much. Shiro could hear him crying.

The beast stepped away from him, intrigued by this new, easier prey. 

Shiro vaulted across the arena floor, his attacker hot on his heels, desperate to get to Lance.

But it seemed that no matter how fast he ran, he wasn’t getting any closer. Shiro called his name franticly, but Lance remained on the floor, open to attack. 

He ran for what felt like forever, until he was exhausted, and his face was wet with tears and sweat. He just wanted to wake up, why couldn’t he wake up!

_”Wake up!”_

Shiro sat up with a gasp, his Galran arm glowing purple and poised for an attack. 

He looked around wildly, coming back to himself, before focusing on the person in his bed. 

The very scared person in his bed. 

He felt himself deflate, his arm deactivating, his breath slowly returning to a normal pace. He touched his face and found it was damp.

Lance was on his knees, watching him, a pillow held against his chest. His ears were pressed low against his head and Shiro could tell that behind the pillow, Lance’s tail was curled around his waist. 

Seeing Shiro relax seemed to snap Lance out of his fear and he moved quickly to hover over Shiro, hands running over his chest and shoulders. 

“You wouldn’t wake up,” he said anxiously.

Shiro grabbed his hands, stilling their nervous petting. He pulled Lance down against him, tucking soft brown ears under his chin.

“I’m sorry I woke you,” Shiro said after a moment. His voice felt rough, and his muscles were sore, as if he actually had run endlessly, like in his nightmare. “It was a just a bad dream.”

“You said my name,” Lance told him quietly.

“You weren’t the bad part,” he replied, putting effort into sounding normal and relaxed. 

Lance hummed, as if he didn’t quite believe Shiro but he let the subject drop.

They lay in bed for a bit longer before finally Shiro sat up, pulling Lance with him. 

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” he ran fingers through Lance’s hair. Even messy from sex and a nap, it was captivating. “I could also use a shower.”

Lance lit up, “With me?”

Shiro looked at him. Lance didn’t seem to be particularly keyed up, in fact he looked sort of sleepy and relaxed. 

“Okay,” he finally said.

Lance already had a dejected look on his face, until Shiro’s answer clicked in his brain and his ears stood at attention.

“Don’t make me regret this,” Shiro warned, smiling but keeping his voice commanding. 

“As if you could!” Lance called, already bouncing into the bathroom.

Shiro sighed once he was alone, still shaken from the nightmare. 

Dreams of the arena were nothing new, but the way Lance had featured certainly was. He’d always been a very vivid dreamer, multiple partners having informed him of his sleep talking, so he tended not to put much stock in a dream’s meaning. Most of them were nonsense.

This one though… Seeing Lance in trouble, being helpless to do anything. It sat heavily in his mind. 

He was torn from his thoughts by Lance’s voice, his head poking out of the bathroom, steam already pouring out from the shower. 

“Coming?” He smirked, as if to drive home his double entendre.

Shiro merely raised a brow and stood up, pulling his shirt over his head as he walked towards the bathroom.

“We’ll see.”


	5. No Going Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, how did this many days pass between chapters? I'm so sorry guys T_T
> 
> Hopefully the fact that this entire chapter is smut will make up for it. - The rating is going up again ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Next chapter will definitely not take as long. I hope.

The shower was an experience.

Shiro had seen Lance naked repeatedly in the time that he had been on the ship. Lance was clearly comfortable in his nudity, taking every opportunity to divest himself and lounge around.

Lance, however, had yet to see Shiro is a similar state of undress.

Shiro was questioning his decision, one made in a moment of weakness, the second he reached for his pants. 

Lance didn’t even pretend not to stare, and only a sharp _eye contact, Lance,_ provided him any sense of decency. 

It was easier once they were under the water and Shiro was able to pour shampoo over Lance, massaging it into his scalp all while taking care to avoid his ears.

He watched, intrigued, as Lance took some of the suds from his hair and ran it over his tail, twisting his hands to work in the shampoo.

Shiro placed both hands on either side of Lance’s head, tilting his head backwards into the stream.

“Close your eyes.”

The response was immediate, full of trust and desire to please.

Watching the water and soap run off his head, down the sides of his face, over his neck and chest was entrancing and Shiro found himself leaning forward before he could think. Lance startled slightly at the press of Shiro’s mouth against his own, but quickly relaxed.

Shiro, on the other hand, felt anything but relaxed, and he felt the tenuous grasp on his control slip even further. His hands moved to cup Lance’s head, maneuvering their mouths into a better fit, sucking Lance’s bottom lip into his mouth before releasing it to draw on his tongue. 

Lance’s hands moved to Shiro’s chest, sliding up to his neck with purpose, before hooking around his neck, and lifting himself up.

Shiro’s hands dropped immediately to Lance’s waist, as long brown legs wrapped around his hips. He could feel Lance hard against his stomach and used the hands gripping Lance to encourage him to push against him, rolling his hips rhythmically. 

His own erection pressed against the seam of Lance’s ass, almost painful as he resisted thrusting up for more friction.

Lance, it seemed, could feel his hesitation. He pulled back from the kiss, unmindful of the water spilling over his head, into his eyes and mouth.

“Please,” he panted, his mouth pressed to Shiro’s ear. “Please don’t hold back.”

The groan building his Shiro’s throat escaped in a vicious growl, and suddenly he was pushing Lance back, making room in the small shower. 

“On your knees,” he barked, pleased with how quickly Lance complied. 

Shiro pushed the shower head to the side, to prevent Lance from drowning, and looked down at the man at his feet. 

Lance sat on his heels, knees spread and hands resting on his thighs. His ears were alert, but his eyes were on the tile floor, head tilted down.

“Eyes,” Shiro snapped, irritated at having to remind Lance once again.

Lance looked up, shamefaced at having forgotten, and Shiro felt his annoyance melt away. It took time to undo another Dominant’s training. 

Shiro gripped Lance’s chin, sliding a thumb across his mouth until Lance’s lips parted softly and Shiro could push inside. He pressed his thumb against Lance’s velvety tongue, holding his mouth open long enough for the saliva to pool. Finally, he pulled his thumb out, and urged Lance up to his knees, bringing his mouth level with Shiro’s cock.

Lance kept his eyes on Shiro’s obediently, but Shiro could tell his was desperate to look, to actually see what he was about to do. A soft whine bled into the sound of the water hitting the shower wall and Shiro felt his breathing pick up, his heart pounding.

If he did this, there would be no going back. His relationship with Lance would no longer be considered altruistic but instead colored with his own selfish desires. Shiro was positive that everyone would know, the second they saw Lance, that Shiro had given into his own weakness. 

Lance closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly, and Shiro spotted the rapidly darkening bruise right underneath his ear. 

_Fuck._

Well, in for a penny…

Shiro slid his hand into Lance’s wet hair, seizing tightly to tilt back. With his other hand he finally – _finally_ – grasped his own hard cock, slapping it lightly against Lance’s face before sliding the wet tip across his cheek until it reached his open, panting mouth. 

Lance’s closed eyes popped open when he heard the click of metal against his teeth, and Shiro loosened his hold just enough for Lance to lean back and look. 

“Oh,” Lance gasped softly, eyes focused on the silver barbell running vertically through the tip of Shiro’s cock. When he looked back up his face was pink, but his eyes were shining with excitement and Shiro raised a brow before tightening his fingers again.

Lance took the hint, closing his eyes again as he leaned forward, running his tongue along the bottom of the shaft. 

_Interesting…_

Lance’s mouth was plush, still wet with drool from Shiro’s fingers, but his tongue was rough and dexterous – a curious contrast. Shiro couldn’t help pressing his cock to the side, enjoying the soft full cheeks and the way it bulged from the outside, before thrusting deeper, experiencing the mild sandpaper brush against the underside. 

And Lance…

Shiro had never seen someone so deeply enjoy the act of giving head. 

Soft moans and sighs spilled from his mouth, around the stretch of Shiro’s cock, while his eyelids fluttered open and closed. His ears were alert, flicking back now and then to keep the water out, and his tail beat an unsteady rhythm against the side of the shower.

Shiro looked down to Lance’s flushed dick, standing at attention, and couldn’t help but notice the way his hands grasped tightly at his knees, nails digging into the skin painfully. 

“You can touch me,” Shiro told him, voice rough.

Lance snapped like a rubber band, hands flying up to grasp Shiro’s thighs, clutching them as he sank his mouth all the way down until his nose was buried in short, soft curls. 

_”Lance…”_ Shiro moaned, moving both hands to grasp Lance’s head. 

He hummed, an affirmative noise, and Shiro actually felt Lance’s jaw loosen and his throat relax, just before pulling his own hips back to thrust hard.

“Your mouth is so pretty wrapped around my cock like this,” Shiro panted and Lance whimpered, hands clutching more firmly at Shiro’s thighs, his claws just this side of too sharp.

“You like me fucking your face, don’t you baby,” Shiro asked and he felt Lance try to nod.

Continuing his relentless thrusting, Shiro asked, somewhat cruelly, “What was that?”

Lance was trying to talk, Shiro could feel it vibrating up his dick, and he pulled back teasingly – just enough to let Lance think he was going to let him speak – before plunging back in, deep. Lance choked slightly, his bright blue eyes glittering with tears before water splashing from the wall washed them away. 

Shiro fucked into his mouth lazily, keeping a close watch on those eyes, searching. Lance was doing his best to maintain eye contact and Shiro felt warmth suffuse his chest.

“You’re such a good boy, Lance,” Shiro told him softly, voice heavy with pride, and he could see the second Lance’s eyes clouded with haziness.

_Bingo._

Shiro pulled away, his cock sliding out from the warm wet heat with a little pop. 

Lance didn’t move, his mouth soft and slightly parted, his eyes half lidded and trusting as he looked up at Shiro as if he were the center of his universe. 

Shiro had been in this position many times before, stood achingly hard over countless kneeling men, all of whom had begged to be there – but he had never seen a look of such utter devotion and trust as the one on Lance’s face. 

It was humbling. 

Shiro let go of his hair and knelt down on the tile floor. Dull confusion crossed Lance’s face, and he trilled a questioning noise low in his throat. Shiro merely lifted him up, sitting the smaller man astride his lap, pulling his face close until their mouth could meet.

Lance’s mouth was swollen and pliant from Shiro’s assault, his arms wound themselves around Shiro’s shoulders, and the shower was filled with the sound of his purr as they made out sloppily. 

In that moment, Shiro felt incredible happiness, content to hold Lance and kiss him forever – or at least until the hot water ran out. 

Lance seemed perfectly delighted to reciprocate, until he began to slip against Shiro’s lap and seemed to remember the erection he was sitting on. He pulled back from the kiss with a trill, licking his lips. His eyes were still hazy – not quite in subspace, there was still enough clarity for him to roll his hips in a practiced motion, grinding down so that the pierced tip of Shiro’s dick caught briefly on the rim of his hole.

They were standing on a precipice again – one small move from either of them and there would be no going back. Lance would be his, forever – or for as long as Lance wanted him. Everyone on the ship would know – every planet they visited, every alien race they liberated – everyone would know that the Black Paladin of Voltron had a Mora Kai. For all intents and purposes, Shiro would own Lance. Be his sole provider, his master.

Lance’s slick, wet tail brushed softly against the small of Shiro’s back and the soft touch jerked him back into reality. Shiro looked at Lance, his soft eyes and sharp teeth, his curious ears.

He didn’t want to go back. 

He wanted Lance. He wanted everything that came with being his master.

Blue eyes widened in surprise as Shiro lifted Lance up and adjusted himself slightly before sinking into slick, wet heat.

Lance _yowled,_ hands scrabbling for purchase at Shiro’s shoulders. 

Shiro pulled his hips down until they sat flush together, Lance’s pert ass pressed tight against Shiro’s groin. He wrapped his arms around Lance’s waist tightly before pulling his hips back to surge up forcefully.

_Fucking hell._

Lance felt _amazing._ The perfect amount of tight and warm, slick and dripping, the natural lubricant felt almost like honey, oozing out around Shiro’s dick, running over his balls. 

Shiro wondered what it tasted like but tucked that thought away for another time.

“Sir!” Lance cried, pressing his face into Shiro’s neck, doing his level best to hold on as Shiro fucked into him ruthlessly.

Shiro pulled away long enough to press another bruising kiss to Lance’s neck, before he was sliding out of his ass, pressing Lance down to the tile floor, pulling his legs up and apart to get a better look.

Lance had put himself on display constantly but Shiro had yet to indulge in the view, and he was not going to let his overwhelming desire to fuck this man until he screamed get in the way of looking his fill.

Moving both of Lance’s ankles to one hand, Shiro reached down to pull the sleek, brown tail out of the way. The rim of Lance’s asshole was slightly duskier than the rest of his skin, but Shiro could see the pink, swollen inside peeping out, thick, vicious slick dribbling down his crack to soak the base of his tail. 

His cock was flushed and straining, a nice size for his body, not too big or small. It would fit quite nicely in Shiro’s mouth, long and thick enough to trigger his gag reflex, just a bit. His cute little balls were tight against his body, signaling how close to the edge he was. 

Shiro ran his finger along the edge of Lance’s loose hole, pressing in enough to feel the soft walls grip at him, and watched Lance’s balls tighten even further. 

He looked up to find Lance watching him, blown pupils almost completely hidden by lidded eyes. 

“Don’t come until I say so,” Shiro said, plunging his first two fingers inside. Lance’s resulting cry was almost enough to have him coming, spilling on the shower floor like a teenager but he closed his eyes, shuddering, until the feeling passed. 

Shiro opened his eyes to find Lance watching him, bottom lip held tight between his teeth, and he pressed his fingers meaningfully, eyes expectant.

“Yes, Sir…” Lance’s voice was trembling.

Shiro nodded, slipping in a third finger.

“Good boy.” In all honesty his own voice was a little shaky, Shiro barely recognized it, but he continued to speak anyway, pouring out all his desire and praise for Lance. “You’re so good for me baby, your pussy is so wet for me, sucking me in. You want my cock so bad, huh?”

Shiro watched Lance nod, his eyes rolling back briefly before he forced them open again, his chest heaving with the force of his labored breathing.

“Let me hear you, sweet boy,” Shiro told him as he pushed in a forth finger, sinking all the way to his palm.

 _”Please!”_ Lance wailed, his claws scratching uselessly at the tile floor, Shiro had never seem them so fully extended – they were sharp. _Dangerous._ “Please, Sir, _pleasepleaseplease.”_

“Please, what?” Shiro asked, breathless as he fingered Lance – if you could call four fingers and half his palm _fingering._ It was much closer to fisting, and Shiro had to bite his lip at the thought. 

“Your cock Sir, please fuck me with your cock, I need it,” he was sobbing, his voice ragged and face flushed. 

In a different life, begging like that would never have been enough to force Shiro’s hand. He was used to spending hours taking apart his partner’s, without yield, not exactly immune to their pleas, but with the strength to withstand them. 

In this life, after years of torture and even more years of self-denial and abstinence, he did not have that strength. 

Shiro slid his fingers out and released Lance’s ankles from his tight grip, positioning them on either side of his head before shoving his cock back inside. He tested Lance’s flexibility, pressing forward until their faces were close enough to kiss, his taut stomach rubbing teasingly over Lance’s hard dick. Shiro felt Lance tighten around him, watched his eyes squeeze shut.

“S-Sir,” Lanced wrapped his arms around Shiro’s shoulders, seemingly unconcerned with the way he was bent in half, knees against his chest.

“Do you want to come?” Shiro asked, fucking in and out of Lance’s hole steadily – maintaining his smooth rhythm to stave off his own orgasm. 

Lance nodded, eyes still closed, his hands clinging to Shiro’s neck like a life preserver. He was beyond words, Shiro could recognize, so it was with sympathetic understanding that Shiro gave in, driving harder and faster into Lance. 

“Do it, baby,” Shiro moaned, his hips stuttering as his own orgasmed crashed over him, the edges of his vision going black. “Come for me.”

Lance orgasming was _gorgeous._

Shiro hadn’t had a chance to watch him last time, and he fought the desire to close his eyes as he ground himself deeper into Lance, milking his own completion. 

A pink flush ran from Lance’s cheeks down to his pert little nipples, and his mouth was open in a silent wail. His tail, which had wrapped up between Shiro’s legs and against his back, vibrated with tension before his entire body relaxed and it slid gently down to the floor. 

The room was very suddenly filled with the sound of Lance gasping, huge sobs that wracked his body with tremors. Shiro moved swiftly, sliding out and gently lowering Lance’s feet to the floor. He slid a hand under Lance’s back, pulling his body up against his own, using his other hand to cradle his head. 

“Hush, baby,” Shiro soothed, running his fingers through tangled hair. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

Lance nodded mindlessly, his arms resting heavily on Shiro’s shoulders. He was still trembling, but his crying had decreased in volume, now merely soft mewls and shuddering moans.

“Hold on for me,” Shiro warned him, before he stood up holding Lance, who helpfully wound his legs around the larger man’s waist. 

Beyond that, Lance was dead weight, body lax and heavy in Shiro’s embrace. Even so, if wasn’t hard for Shiro to support him with one arm as he used the other to reposition the shower head. 

The water was cold, and Lance hissed, tightening his hold on Shiro, a soft cry in his throat.

“I know baby, I’m sorry. Just real quick.” 

Shiro rinsed them both with the efficiency of a man who had served his country, and they were out of the shower before either of them had time to really feel the cold. He sat Lance down on the closed toilet seat, making soft, soothing noises at his distress, wrapping him in the thick, black bathrobe that hung on his bathroom door. 

Lance clutched at it with a soft purr, his eyes closed. Tears shimmered at the rim of his eyelashes, but none spilled over. Still, Shiro wasted no time as he dried himself and pulled on the sweatpants he kept in the bathroom storage. 

Preparing two toothbrushes, he shoved one in his own mouth before grasping Lance’s face gently, thumbing at his mouth for entrance. 

Lance opened his eyes slowly, and watched, disoriented, as Shiro slid the tooth brush past his lips. He made a surprised humming noise and Shiro smiled, enjoying every second of Lance’s cute expression as his teeth were brushed. 

When he was done, and they were both brushed, he picked Lance back up and carried him to the bed, turning the overhead lights to the lowest setting.

“Nightshirt?” Shiro asked, gesturing towards the closet. 

Lance shrugged a tiny bit, still entrenched in a nonverbal headspace. Shiro hummed back, before reaching into his own closet, pulling out a soft black shirt, much too large for Lance. He gently disrobed the smaller man, sliding the shirt on over his wet head, reaching into the sleeves to pull Lance’s hands out. Once settled, it pooled around his lap, the collar sliding over to expose his shoulder. 

Shiro had to pause briefly, when he felt his cock twitch at the sight. 

_Seriously?_

He looked up to find Lance watching him, a smile dancing at the edge of his mouth and a shimmer in his aqua eyes. 

“Welcome back,” Shiro told him sweetly, pressing a kiss to his mouth. 

Lance tangled his hands into Shiro’s hair quickly, holding him in place to deepen the kiss. He groaned when Shiro pulled away. 

“The Mora Kai may have limitless stamina,” he said, moving to lay down in bed next to Lance. “But I do not.” He threw an arm over his eyes.

Lance giggled, sliding down to lay next to him. He buried his face into Shiro’s shoulder, purring all the while. 

Shiro lay there for a moment, letting Lance rub his wet hair and ears against his naked chest and side. It tickled slightly and Shiro snorted laughter, trying to move away, unsurprised when Lance merely slid closer, purring and rubbing. 

A thought popped into Shiro’s head and he sat up a little bit.

“Are you… marking me?” He looked down at Lance with a surprised laugh. 

The purr cut out, Lance pulled back to look at him, cheeks pink. “Uhm, yes?” His eyes darted away sheepishly.

_Oh my God, why was Lance the fucking cutest?_

Shiro lay back down, still smiling.

“By all means, continue.”

Lance rolled his eyes, but the purr was back, and he was quick to sidle back up to Shiro, cuddling against his side. 

Shiro rolled over, wrapping his arms around Lance’s waist and pulling him back against his chest. They lay together, both equally blissed out on their earlier activities and the simple act of cuddling. 

Shiro wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but Lance’s purr had faded away into what he had assumed was sleep when Lance whispered. 

“You’re so wonderful, Shiro.”

His small hands clasped Shiro’s Galra arm to his chest, and though his words were sweet, his voice was full of sorrow.

Shiro tightened his hold, pressing his face into Lance’s hair.

Even after everything they had shared over the past couple weeks and particularly that night, Lance was still a mystery to him.

“Sleep, Lance,” Shiro told him softly, and he felt a small smile on his face at the return of the purr. 

Eventually Lance did fall asleep, warm and pliant in his arms, but Shiro stayed up the rest of the night, thoughts in turmoil.


	6. The Allies Banquet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, started editing after I took my sleeping pill so hopefully it’s not a shit show
> 
> Also, will any of you kids catch my animaniacs reference? If not, get off my lawn
> 
> but just kidding cause I love you all <3

Shiro was standing in the middle of a club. 

It looked a bit like _Silk and Silver,_ but the details were fuzzy, everything was dark and muted. 

His attention was completely on the man between his legs, mouth full of his cock. 

Shiro gripped his hair, dark, thick strands and heated violet eyes looked up at him. He knew those eyes.

_Keith?_

But no, Keith was never at his feet. At his back, at his side. On one memorable occasion, face to face, a pert blonde with a tight ass held between them. But never at his feet.

A particularly talented swirl of tongue at his cock had his focus back on his current partner.

_Ahh, of course._

Not violet eyes. Indigo, dark and captivating, watching him with rapt attention.

And _fuck_ was his mouth talented. Shiro couldn’t fight his own moaning any longer, and why should he? They were putting on a show after all.

The crowd around them seemed to moan as one, in time with his own breathless noises.

He would make this display an unforgettable one.

+

Shiro woke with a gasp, hands flying up to clutch the hips straddling his own. His eyelids fluttered rapidly as he took stock of himself. 

Dick – buried in tight, wet heat. 

Body – weighted down by Lance, who sat astride his hips, facing his feet. 

Lance’s hands immediately moved to wrap around Shiro’s wrists, holding himself steady so that he could pull all the way up – until just the tip of Shiro’s cock was all that remained inside – before dropping back down. 

“Lance,” Shiro growled, as he pulled his knees up, bracing his feet against the mattress.

“Sir,” Lance was already panting, there were lines of sweat running down his back, matting the base of his tail. He must have been at this for a while, Shiro trapped in a weird memory like dream.

“Bad boy,” Shiro waited until Lance was mid-slide down before he thrust his hips up with all of his power, shoving the breath out of him. 

_”Ahhfuck!”_ Lance exclaimed, head thrown back by the force. “Please, Sir!”

Shiro was moving, wrapping an arm around Lance’s stomach as he rolled to his knees, settling a heavy hand on Lance’s shoulders, shoving his face into the mattress.

“What have I told you?” Shiro panted in his ear, fucking up forcefully into the Mora Kai. 

Lance’s eyes were screwed shut and his mouth open, drool already puddling underneath his face against the bedclothes. 

Shiro leaned back just enough to give himself room, pulling his hand back to crack against Lance’s ass, before resuming his hard thrusting. 

“Not-“ Lance panted, shaking his head slightly in a desperate bid for clarity. “Not without permission.”

“And did I give you permission?” Shiro asked, sliding his cock all the way out of the vice grip that was Lance’s ass as he waited for an answer.

Lance hesitated, cracking open his eyes to look up at Shiro nervously. He shook his head timidly, as best he could with Shiro’s weight at his back.

“Words, Lance.”

“Uhm, no, Sir.” There were tears on the rim of his eyelid, waiting to spill.

Shiro tsked, a sympathetic noise. 

“No, I didn’t.” He thrust back in to the hilt, sudden enough to have Lance gasping and the moisture in his blue eyes leaking over. “Which is why this is happening.” 

Lance’s eyes grew wide with apprehension, as Shiro reached down between his legs, wrapping his thumb and forefinger into a tight circle around his shaft and balls. He moaned in regretful realization when Shiro clamped down harshly, staving off his impending orgasm. 

His moans were merely fuel to Shiro’s fire though, and the Black Paladin thrust only twice more before stilling as he spilled inside. 

Shiro paused, panting wildly, before relaxing his hand slightly. Lance immediately began to mewl, and Shiro tightened his grip quickly as he felt Lance’s balls draw up.

“Ah-ah,” Shiro interjected, a nasty smirk on his face. “Not so fast, sweet boy.”

He pulled out, his dick still half hard, biting back a moan at the feeling of Lance’s body squeezing desperately to keep him in. 

Thick, white cum poured from Lance’s loose hole, dribbling quickly down to his balls and Shiro’s hand.

He’d come a lot, which was odd, considering how much sex they’d been having lately. Something about Lance brought it out of him though, Shiro could never have enough, always had something more to give. 

Shiro swirled his fingers through the cum, teasing at Lance’s puffy rim. 

Lance whimpered, legs spreading on the bed even further, and Shiro tightened his hold on Lance’s cock.

Shiro plunged two fingers in, pushing his cum back inside of Lance’s hole. _Fuck,_ if only they had a plug. Lance deserved to be plugged, kept full of Shiro’s cum all day, sticky and aching.

“Poor baby,” Shiro told him. “You’re gonna have to stay like this all day now.”

Lance cried out, “What-“

Shiro swiftly cut him off with a sharp slap to his ass.

“Bad boys who break the rules don’t get to come, Lance.” Shiro told him, voice deceptively soft and sweet.

Lance groaned, voice heavy with tears, and Shiro finally released his genitals, pulling the Mora Kai up to lean back against him. He pressed soft kisses to Lance’s neck, giving Lance all the time he needed to come back to himself. 

Once it was obvious Lance was steadier, Shiro told him, “Be a good boy for me today and maybe tonight I’ll let you come, okay sweetheart?”

Lance nodded, leaning back into Shiro’s caresses. 

Shiro stood up, pulling Lance with him and towards the shower. 

“And Lance?” Shiro told him, fiddling with the water taps as Lance sat on the toilet seat. He turned and looked, black eyes meeting blue. “If you come before I tell you to, I’ll know.”

Lance swallowed.

+

“What do you think of this one?” 

Allura stood in front of her mirror, holding a light blue gown in front of her. She pulled the shimmery fabric away so that Lance could see the full effect.

Lance hummed. “It’s gorgeous, obviously, but I think the silver one is more appropriate.”

“Really?” Allura made a face. “You don’t think it’s too… showy?”

“Yes! That’s why it’s so good!” Lance sprung up from his seat on her bed, walking over to grab the silver dress and hold it up next to Allura. 

“You look regal in this dress. Commands respect.” He winked at her in the mirror. 

“Alright, I’m going to bow to your expertise in this subject,” Allura relented, tossing down the blue gown and taking the silver one from Lance.

“As you should, Princess,” Lance told her, voice imperious but playful. 

Allura stepped into the dress, arranging the intricate straps over her shoulders and chest, reaching behind herself to secure them. Lance quickly stepped in, smoothly pushing her fingers away to manage the complicated fastenings himself. 

Once she was fully dressed Lance stepped away, lips pursed as he gave her a critical look. 

“Hair down I think, maybe with a few braids.” 

Allura reached up for her hair, surprised, before Lance gestured her over to the vanity chair, taking a place behind her as he began to gather white strands in his hand.

Allura watched him in the mirror, entranced. “You’re very good at this.”

Lance smiled softly, keeping his eyes on his work. “I used to do this for Lady Maddox all the time.”

“Oh? Lord Maddox has a wife?”

Lance nodded. “That’s who I spent most of my time with, Lord Maddox preferred my sister’s company. Which I didn’t mind because Lady Maddox was always really nice to me.” 

Allura tried to hide her confusion as she considered that information. She distinctly remembered Maddox saying Lance was his favorite. 

Maybe he’d only said that to make it seem like a grander gesture than it already was. 

“Do you miss them?” Allura asked, eyes fixed on Lance’s reflection, she didn’t miss his small shrug.

“I miss my sisters,” he finally said. “And Lady Maddox, a little bit.”

“But not Lord Maddox?” She pressed.

Lance finally looked up, gaze steady as he made eye contact in the mirror.

“No.” His oddly serious expression was quick to lighten as he stepped away. “All done.”

Allura looked at her hair in the mirror, at the elaborate plaits tied throughout the flowing white tresses. Her hair hadn’t been so elegantly styled since before the fall of Altea, when she’d had lady’s maids to assist with dressing. 

“It’s beautiful Lance,” Allura stood up, turning to grab both of Lance’s hands. “Thank you so much for your help.”

Lance smiled, cheeks rosy. “It was my pleasure, Princess.”

“Well, what are you going to wear tonight?” Allura asked him, as she sifted through her jewelry box, choosing the pieces to complete her ensemble. 

“Oh,” Lance’s tail flicked nervously. “Uhm, I didn’t think-“

“Well of course you’re coming, Lance! Didn’t Shiro tell you?”

“Well, he did mention-“

“This!” Allura interrupted, whirling around to grab Lance’s wrist and pull him closer. “Do you have something that will match this? It will look beautiful with your eyes.” 

She held up a necklace, shiny black metal that twisted and turned in complex design toward a fat glowing blue gemstone that sat in the middle. 

“I bought it on a whim, centuries ago, but it’s definitely not my style.” 

Allura pulled it around Lance’s neck, holding it up for them to both see in the mirror. It was short, the gem settling in the hollow of his throat, and the necklace tight against his skin when it was clasped. 

“It’s perfect for you though!” 

“Allura,” Lance’s eyes were wide. “This is so beautiful, but I can’t wear your necklace.”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, someone needs to wear it!” She unclasped it and placed the necklace into his hand. “Keep it, Lance. Give it a good home.”

She smiled cheekily and threw him a wink. 

“Now go get changed! And you better be posh too, I don’t want to be the only person ridiculously overdressed!” 

Lance laughed, clutching the necklace. “Fine, I’ll wear something super flashy in solidarity.”

“I knew there was a reason you’re my favorite,” Allura grinned, pushing him out the door. “You’ve only got half a varga!”

Alone, Allura stood in her room considering. 

Shiro’s concerns sat in the back of her mind. 

Lance was delightful, everyone agreed. He fit into their family quite effortlessly, finding commonality with everyone, building trust and friendship with ease. And his influence on Shiro was priceless. 

The Black Paladin, who, in her opinion, had always taken on too much responsibility and thrown himself too fully into his work, was now far more relaxed and contented. Shiro was no longer running himself – or the other Paladins – ragged. It was a relief to see – and experience. 

_All this time, all he needed was to get laid._

Allura rolled her eyes at the thought. 

And still… Shiro’s trepidation over the entire Mora liaison. 

It was easy to put trust in the Mora, her father had done so, and countless sovereigns before him. 

But the Alteans had once been allies with the Galra too…

And ten thousand years was a long time for anyone. Especially in the political climate that ruled most planets since the Galran uprising.

She’d have to think on it more. 

First though, they had to make it through this coalition alliance dinner in once piece. 

+

Shiro, who was currently working on buttoning the most complicated dress shirt he’d ever encountered, looked up at the sound of Lance coming into their room. 

Warm, bright eyes smiled at him softly. “Need some help?”

“My savior,” Shiro didn’t even bother trying to look like he could handle it. He was nervous about this dinner, weeks of organizing the heads of multiple races who would be formidable allies if everything went smoothly tonight. 

Lance hummed melodically and stepped in front of him, agile claws taking over the task of dressing him. He looked nervous, which reminded Shiro of their morning, and the edict Shiro had decreed as punishment.

Once it was clear that Lance was done, he gathered the Mora Kai into his arms, laying his cheek against soft brown ears.

“What happened this morning, pretty boy?” 

Lance trilled softly at the name, shrugging at the question. “I’m sorry Takashi. I just…”

Shiro pulled back, looking at him meaningfully, and Lance finally continued. 

“I had a weird dream… and I woke up and just… needed you.” He looked up Shiro then, eyes guileless and sweet. 

“You know you can always wake me up?” Shiro prompted, squeezing Lance’s hips lightly. 

“You were really deeply asleep,” Lance suddenly grinned at him, sharp teeth. “Well, mostly. Parts of you were awake.”

Shiro growled, pulling the now giggling Mora Kai against him. 

“Keep it up, pretty boy, and you’ll never get to come.”

Lance gasped dramatically, _”No!”_ He squirmed in Shiro’s now tickling hold. “I’ll be good, I swear.” He pretended to pull away, struggling lightly, but his true feelings were betrayed by his tail, which wrapped itself around Shiro’s leg, holding him close.

Shiro looked down at it, eyebrow raised, and Lance merely giggled again, shrugging. 

“Where have you been all afternoon?” Shiro asked, releasing Lance to look for his dress jacket. 

“Helping Allura get dressed. That woman has got a lot of clothes.”

Shiro looked at him starkly, before looking towards Lance’s closet and back.

“She has more!” Lance said, as if that made his overflowing closet perfectly acceptable.

“Speaking of,” Shiro said, slipping a watch onto his wrist. “What are you wearing tonight?”

Lance seemed to freeze, looking at Shiro anxiously. “Oh, am I… coming?”

Shiro looked at him, forehead creased in concern. “Of course, sweetheart. Did you think you weren’t?”

Lance’s eyes were wide as he looked around the room. “Well, yes. I thought I was going to stay here. But then Allura said… and now _you’re saying,_ so I’m not-“

Shiro crossed the room back to Lance in two strides.

“Lance, sweet boy. You’re coming to this dinner. If only so I don’t have to suffer alone.”

Lance purred softly, cheeks pink, and nodded. Shiro looked at the watch on his wrist, and shrugged helplessly, before crowding into Lance’s space, pressing their mouths together, licking across tongue and teeth. 

He was just starting to tangle his fingers into Lance’s auburn hair when a sharp rap at his door had them starling apart.

“Stop making out, we’re gonna be late!”

Shiro rolled his eyes at Keith’s voice as Lance whispered _how did he know?!_ in wonder. 

“How fast can you be ready?” Shiro asked, looking back down at his watch. Keith was right, unfortunately.

“Give me five dobashes,” Lance told him, running to his closet. 

He was like a whirlwind, pawing through silk and chiffon until he found what he was looking for. Shiro watched in awe as he dug out a case on the bottom of his closet before disappearing into the bathroom with a mysterious smile. 

Sure enough, exactly five minutes later Lance opened the bathroom door, releasing the sweet scent of perfume and hair products. 

Taking in the sight of Lance, Shiro had a moment of realization that up until this point, Lance hadn’t even been _trying._ And that if Lance _had_ tried, Shiro would have never made it more than an hour without fucking him into the floor, let alone the measly couple weeks it had taken for his control to snap.

Lance wore a long sleeve baby doll style dress, open and swishing, it ended at the tops of his thighs. Tight on his arms, with a deep scoop neck collar that perfectly displayed his delicate collarbones. His long, tan legs were incased in cobalt blue stockings that ended in lace, just far enough below the hemline of his dress for a stripe of skin to peek out. They perfectly matched the glowing gemstone that shone on the collar, tight on his neck. 

The black fabric of his dress seemed to match perfectly with the tips of his ears, and the blue accents made his eyes pop. Stepping closer, Shiro could see the black paint lining his eyes that may have had something to do with it as well. 

Lance tilted his face down demurely, and Shiro caught the shimmer of _something_ across his cheekbones and exposed chest. 

“Wow, Lance,” Shiro said, somewhat stupidly, reaching out to grab Lance’s hand. 

Lance beamed at him anyway, pushing a curl behind his ear. How Lance had gotten his hair so perfectly shined and styled in _five minutes_ Shiro would never know, but he didn’t have time to ask now. 

“Oh shit, we’re gonna be late,” Shiro turned around, looking for his dress shoes, and was not at all surprised to find Lance had already picked them up and was setting them in front of him. “Do you have shoes?”

Lance gave him a look that said seemed to say, _please,_ before reaching into his own closet to pull out a pair of high heeled ankle boots. 

Shiro couldn’t help but whistle when he put them on, the added height meant Lance was now taller than him and for some reason, that was doing things to Shiro. 

Lance laughed and pushed him away, when Shiro started to slide his hand up Lance’s dress. 

“What happened to we’re going to be late?” Lance’s voice was fondly exasperated. 

“To what?” Shiro asked, only half joking. “Okay, fine, let’s go!” 

Pulling Lance by the hand, they headed out for the dinner. 

+

Shiro should have known he would be here.

He _had_ known, really. At some point he’d discussed it with Allura. But he’d put it out of his head, too concerned with his developing relationship with Lance plus the billions of other things he had to worry about as the leader of Voltron.

But of course, Lord Maddox would attend this banquet. They were allies. This was a dinner for current and potential allies of Voltron and the rebel collation. The Blades were there as well, if a little more discreetly. 

Shiro might have been able to ignore him, at least for a little while, if it hadn’t been for the way Lance had frozen at his side. 

Shiro had looked at him concernedly, following Lance’s line of sight to find the leader of the Mora people standing in a circle of guests, a female Mora at his side. They were laughing at something some Kartian diplomat was saying, when Maddox seemed to sense their presence and turned to look directly at them both. 

Shiro couldn’t miss the way Lance gasped softly, when Maddox’s gaze went from curious to positively leering, a smirk on his face as he looked at them. 

Shiro felt his fight or flight reflex kick in, and he stood up straighter, eyes narrowed – he’d never been one for running – when Allura stepped over.

“Shiro, please remember where you are, and _who_ you are.”

It was then that Shiro realized he was squeezing Lance’s hand painfully. Lance didn’t seem to be hurting, but Shiro could tell from the way his claws were fully extended that it couldn’t have been comfortable. He tried to force himself to relax, breathing in deep and letting it go slowly. 

“Sorry, sweetheart,” he told Lance, lifting the Mora Kai’s hand to his mouth to press a kiss against it. Lance gave him a soft look, all forgiveness. 

Shiro turned to find the other Paladin’s were all watching him with varying degrees of concern, all except Hunk, whose dark gaze was directed at Maddox.

“It’s fine Hunk,” Shiro told him, “Allura is right. This isn’t the time or place.”

Hunk finally tore his gaze away, looking down at Lance and Shiro’s hands still clasped together, and his face seemed to soften.

“Right,” he finally relented. 

“Hey, we don’t even know if he’s evil!” Pidge piped in, her eyes lost in the crowd around them as she tried to track down her brother.

“He is,” Shiro and Hunk said together, and Pidge snorted. 

“I meant against Voltron,” she rolled her eyes. 

“Shiro…” Lance began, looking at the group of them nervously. “Lord Maddox…”

“It’s fine Lance, don’t worry about him right now.” Shiro pressed a kiss to Lance’s temple. He had yet to let Lance in on his suspicious regarding Maddox, and Shiro could feel his tension as they all considered the Mora Kai’s former master. 

Lance tensed briefly, a growling chirp escaping his throat just a bit. Shiro looked at him questioningly, until Lance relaxed and shook his head, waving away his concern. 

It had to be odd being confronted by the man who had used and controlled him for most of his life. 

Shiro made sure that they didn’t encounter Lord Maddox at any point, leaving Allura to engage with the Mora on her own. 

Shiro made small talk with the various alien races they had invited to the banquet, some of whom he remembered and quite liked. 

Not all of them of course. A fair amount of them regarding Lance curiously, but Lance remained steadfastly at Shiro’s side, their hands clasped. A mixture of awe or disdain, none of them spoke to the Mora Kai, unless Shiro introduced them. It quickly became clear that Lance was not a fan of being introduced, and much preferred to remain next to Shiro, quietly observing. 

Pidge eventually found Matt, who was the first outside of the Paladins to speak to Lance.

“Well, _hellooo nurse,”_ Matt nudged his way between Lance and Shiro, unmindful of their hands. “Now yours is a face I would not forget, so we must not have met before. I’m Matthew, hi, hello.” 

He held his hand out to shake and Lance ignored it in favor of pressing his free hand over his mouth, suppressing a smile. He looked over Matt’s shoulder to find Shiro, rolling his eyes. 

Matt caught his gaze, turning to see Shiro, then looking down to take in their clasped hands. 

Matt nodded sagely, “Uh huh, right, now I could see why you’d want Shiro, but let me take you back a step and tell you a little bit about myself and then you can make an _informed_ decision-“

“Oh my God, why are you like this?” Pidge slapped at her brother, pulling him away from Lance to drag towards the dining hall, where everyone was beginning to head.

“Friend of yours?” Lance asked Shiro, who was sure his eyes were about to fall out of his head with how hard he was rolling them. 

“Unfortunately,” Shiro said, voice amused despite himself.

“I like him,” Lance said, eyes sparkly. 

“Give it time and you’ll grow to love me!” Matt called over his shoulder as Pidge dragged him away. 

“Watch it, Matty,” Shiro warned him, only half joking.

+

The dinner was going well. Allura and Shiro were schmoozing everyone that need to be schmoozed. Hunk and Pidge were entertaining those less politically important with hilarious stories from their adventures. Even Keith was caught up in conversation – he, Kolivan and Thace all bent close together over the table.

Shiro had even managed to seat themselves so that Maddox was out of sight-out of mind. Lance was currently wrapped up in some ridiculous story of Matt’s, oohing and ahhing at all the right parts so that Matt was drowning in giggled awe. 

If Shiro didn’t trust Matt with his life, he might have been concerned, Lance didn’t even look at Coran with that type of admiration. 

Half way through an increasingly more heated argument with a particularly stubborn head of planet, Lance tapped his shoulder softly and leaned in to tell him he was going to the bathroom. 

“Do you want me to go with you?” Shiro leaned back, cutting the Takar he’d been quarreling with off completely, to look at Lance. He couldn’t help thinking of the leers Lance had received earlier in the night. 

Matt leaned over, “I’ll go with him Shiro. I’ve gotta find a bathroom myself.”

“Alright, thanks Matt.”

Reassured, Shiro returned to his conversation, quickly becoming engrossed in the Takar’s absolutely ridiculous demands.

Shiro wasn’t sure how much time had passed when suddenly Hunk leaned over, concern on his face.

“Shiro, Lord Maddox and his wife, I can’t find them.”


	7. Undeniable Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all I'm sooo sorry, life got kind of awful for a bit, mental health took a nose dive and I started school again (those things are hopefully not related lol). sorry to leave you guys on a cliff hanger. hopefully this chapter makes up for it. 
> 
> thank you for all your comments, they mean so much to me <3 I love reading your theories!

Shiro tore down an empty hallway, Hunk only steps behind, a confused shout from the staff following them both. 

“The bathroom’s to the right,” Hunk said, and Shiro immediately pivoted, taking three large steps down the corridor before coming up short. 

Hunk slammed into him with a grunt, and the two men standing some feet away looked up at the noise.

“Oh, hey Shiro,” Matt smiled, waving at the Paladins.

Lord Maddox said nothing, turning a charming smile their way.

“Where’s Lance?”

Matt’s face spelled confusion at Shiro’s tone, and he pointed a thumb at the doorway behind him. 

“In the bathroom?” 

Shiro looked at the Mora, whose canine features seemed to be smirking. “Lost him, have you? Lance does so like to wander off.” 

Matt looked at Maddox in surprise. “You know Lance?”

“Sure, I raised him, after all.”

Matt opened his mouth with what was sure to be countless questions but Shiro cut him off.

“Did you need something, Lord Maddox?”

Maddox raised a brow, and Shiro was positive then that the Mora was smirking, sharp teeth and all. 

“I’m merely waiting for my wife, she’s also in the restroom. You seem tense young Paladin, something troubling you?”

There was a growling sound and Shiro realized with a start that it was coming from Hunk. 

Shiro disregarded the question, moving past them to enter the bathroom, ignoring Matt’s shout of concern. 

The room was similar to most of the lavatories they’d encountered in space, not unlike the facilities in malls and airports – long rows of privacy stalls opposite washing basins. This one was fancier than most, large framed mirrors and obviously expensive countertops. 

Standing in front of those mirrors, hips against the sink, stood Lance and Lady Maddox. 

The elder Mora’s back was turned but Shiro could see the way her hand rested on Lance’s shoulder. He could also see the wetness in Lance’s eyes, eyes that were turned towards the floor, until the noise from Shiro’s entrance snapped them upwards. 

“Shiro!” Lance looked quickly to Lady Maddox who spun around slowly, hand still clasping him. 

“Are you okay?” Shiro asked, oddly breathless, he felt like he’d run a marathon and not just down a hallway. 

“Uhm I’m fine, I just ran into Lady Maddox…” He tilted his head towards the woman to his side, as if there was any question of who he was referring to. 

For the first time, Shiro turned his attention to the Mora woman.

Lady Maddox was clearly beautiful among her race, with blonde hair and soft looking rounded ears that flopped over on one side. Her eyes were bright green and smiling. She seemed almost the exact opposite of her husband, a soft, approachable air to his cool, intimidating manner.

“Black Paladin,” her voice was soft, surprising Shiro, considering her large stature. “Lance was just telling me such wonderful things about you. It’s nice to finally make your acquaintance. Even if it is in the restroom.” 

She smiled knowingly and Shiro felt a rush of hot shame.

Had he really followed Lance and Lady Maddox into the bathroom? What did he think she was going to do, attack him? Steal him back?

Then again, Lance was clearly distressed.

Shiro cleared his throat, “Right, my apologies Lady Maddox. Lance?”

Lance startled, as if surprised to have been remembered. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Shiro tried to look at him as meaningfully as possible. 

Lance blushed, rubbing the back of his hands against his eyes. “Sorry, I was just asking my lady about my sisters.”

_My lady._ Shiro fought to keep the feeling those words created off his face. 

“Oh pet, don’t worry so. These types of things are common in pregnancy, she’ll be perfectly fine in a few quintents.”

_Pregnancy?_

Shiro watched, shocked, as Lance leaned into the older woman, hugging her tightly. He could only just make out Lance’s muffled voice.

“Please tell me if anything else happens to her!” 

Lady Maddox didn’t seem alarmed in the least, pulling Lance back to look into his teary eyes. 

“We can video chat anytime dearest, frankly I’m surprised you havn’t called.” She looked at Lance with chiding eyes, rubbing her thumbs across his cheeks to wipe away the black tracks of make-up.

Lance turned to Shiro nervously, and Shiro was struck by an unusual feeling, something along the lines of jealousy and anxiety. 

“Uhm, sure?” Shiro cursed himself at how timid his voice sounded. This whole situation was leaving him unbalanced. 

“Are you ready to go back?” There, that sounded better. More normal, in control. 

Lance nodded and stepped away from his former mistress, taking the hand Shiro was holding out to him hesitantly.

Shiro nodded at the clearly amused Mora woman and led Lance out of the bathroom. Steadfastly ignoring Lord Maddox, they walked down the hall hand in hand, Matt and Hunk falling in line behind them. Lance was unusually quiet. 

When they reached the banquet hall, Shiro waved the two men on, pulling Lance into a different direction until they were alone in a far-off alcove, out of sight of the staff or guests. 

Lance looked down at him with nervous eyes, his ears drooping. “Takashi, I’m sor-“

“Are you really okay?” Shiro cut him off, uninterested in Lance’s apologies. 

Lance nodded frantically but his eyes filled with tears. Shiro pulled him in tight to his chest, cradling Lance’s head against his shoulder. Lance wrapped his arms around Shiro’s waist, breathing deeply, in and out, until it seemed as if he’d calmed down. Without pulling away he spoke into Shiro’s throat.

“My sister is pregnant and I’m worried.”

“Why are you worried?”

Lance hesitated, before saying, “Lord Maddox is the father.”

Shiro’s eye widened, remembering Lance’s words from their first in depth discussion. _The kittens didn’t live very long outside of the womb…_

“So the baby probably won’t…” Shiro asked.

Lance pulled back, and though Shiro wasn’t surprised, it was jarring to see anger on his face. 

“No! And Lord Maddox is making her keep it, when he should have aborted it immediately. Now she has to give birth to a kitten she knows will die, and what if she gets sick or something? Mora Kai pregnancies are already risky and she doesn’t even have a mate to help her-“

Lance’s voice was steadily growing louder, and the tears were running freely down his cheeks.

There was nothing Shiro hated more than feeling helpless, and the more upset Lance became, the stronger his desire to do something grew. There was no going back to the banquet, Allura and the rest of the team would simply have to network without him. 

Grabbing hold of Lance’s face, he pulled the temporarily taller man down into a kiss, silencing his panic. Lance relaxed immediately, his mouth going slack and soft against Shiro’s, his hands coming up to grasp at Shiro’s jacket. 

Shiro finally leaned back. “Do you want to leave?”

Lance nodded, tail swishing behind him nervously. 

Resolved, Shiro took Lance’s hand and walked them both back towards the dinner party, asking a staff member to fill Allura in on their disappearance, before heading out. 

Once back on the ship, Lance began to relax, his death grip on Shiro’s hand loosening. There was still an air of nervousness about him and Shiro waited for Lance’s inevitable outburst. 

They made it to right in front of their shared bedroom door before Lance was turning to him, cheeks flushed with shame. 

“Takashi, I’m so sorry for ruining your night.”

“Lance, you didn’t ruin anything. Your happiness is more important to me than a banquet.” _More important than building connections with powerful allies, more important than working towards saving the universe…_ Shiro quickly shut down that line of thought, scared at the depth of his growing feelings for Lance.

“It was a big deal for Voltron and I let my feelings get in the way and made you leave,” Lance hiccupped, his eyes filling with tears once more. “And this morning, I knew I was being bad but I still did it…”

_Oh._

Shiro knew what this was. Knew it immediately and intimately. 

In his quest to make Lance feel like an equal on the ship, to help him realize he was more than just a pet, but an intelligent, vibrant being with valid emotions and feelings, Shiro had ignored a vital aspect of who Lance was. 

Lance was a submissive being. 

“What do you need?” Shiro asked, knowing the answer, but needing to be sure, at least this first time.

Lance’s eyes flickered from Shiro’s own, down to the floor briefly, and then back. 

“I need to be punished.” 

Shiro nodded, running his hands over Lance’s warm face, and suddenly the helpless feeling that had been plaguing him all night faded out. This was something he could do, something he understood.

“Okay.” Shiro inhaled deeply and let it out slowly, before speaking. “Go into the room and undress. Leave on the stockings and the necklace. Kneel on the floor facing the bed, you can use a pillow if you need, eyes on the floor. I’ll come for you when I’m ready.” 

“Yes, Sir.” Lance nodded, turning quickly and disappearing into the room. 

Shiro rocked on his heels, enjoying the heavy, warm feeling that dominating another person gave him. 

Their earlier escapades had given him an idea, and while it had been fleeting, right now seemed like the perfect time for Shiro to test his theory. 

Walking down towards the engineering room, Shiro’s mind was filled with thoughts of Lance. 

Lance, who at this very moment was kneeling in their bedroom, fully exposed. Waiting – the anticipation a form of torture, a punishment all on its own. 

Shiro quickly found what he was looking for. 

A 3-D printer. 

Pidge and Hunk had used it time and again, Pidge going on and on about the devices amazing ability to create things out of hundreds of different types of materials. She’d even managed to reprogram the software, translating the Altean to English, so that it was more accessible to everyone on the ship.

There was no way she could have known what Shiro had planned for it, of course, but Shiro mentally thanked her anyway.

With a swift hand, and the memory of a man who had a breadth of knowledge regarding sexual aids, Shiro drew out the design he needed and selected the material. 

Ten minutes, and a quick check to ensure the printer didn’t have a memory drive, Shiro held the perfect toy in his hands. 

He grinned, amused at the life choices that had brought him to this moment, making sex toys out of alien tech. He briefly considered a paddle or crop of some sort but pushed it aside. Another time.

All in all, Lance had been waiting for about thirty minutes. Just enough time for him to relax, to think about the reasons he was on his knees, begging for punishment. Time for his mind to unwind, his breathing to slow and his muscles loosen. 

Shiro opened the door calmly, ignoring Lance who kneeled on the ground, knees against unforgiving metal – pillows stacked neatly on the bed like they’d left them that morning. He adjusted the lighting, dimming it down until it was no longer glaring harshly above them. 

Shiro took his time, removing and hanging his jacket, loosening his tie, but leaving his shoes on. 

All the while Lance remained quietly behind him, legs spread and hands resting gently on his knees, tail wrapped around his waist. 

Shiro unbuckled his leather belt, pulling it from the loops of his pants before winding it around his palm. 

Finally, he moved to sit on the edge of the bed, facing Lance. He looked beautiful, throat wrapped with twisting metal and that stunning gemstone. The stockings, which matched perfectly, encasing long, smooth legs. His nipples were hard little peaks, in contrast to his cock, which hung between his legs. 

“You’ve been acting out a lot lately,” Shiro began. “I’ve let you get away with interrupting me and back talking, and those small transgressions ultimately led to this morning, when you expressly went against my rule.”

Shiro pointedly did not bring up the banquet. While that had obviously been a disaster, it was hardly Lance’s fault for being upset over the appearance of the Maddox’s and news of his sister.

“Not letting you come this morning was your punishment, but I can see now that it was not enough, and you need further discipline to fully atone.” 

Lance remained still, eyes on the floor, but the flick of his ears let Shiro know he was listening. Shiro let the belt in his hand unwind slightly.

“Because you asked for this, and because it’s the first time it’s been necessary to punish you, I am going to let you decide how we continue. You have the option of ten strikes of the belt or twenty with my hand. Both will be painful, but the belt more so. Look at me now and tell me if you understand or not and which you would prefer.”

Lance looked up, blue eyes clear. “I understand, Sir. I want your hand, please.”

Shiro nodded in approval. That was the choice he’d hoped for. The belt was effective, but it was less intimate, using his hand meant Lance would have to be over his lap. 

Shiro slid back on the bed slightly, bracing his shoes firmly against the floor. 

“Come Lance,” Shiro told him and Lance moved quickly, his stockinged feet slipping slightly on the floor. Shiro steadied him before maneuvering the Mora Kai over his spread knees so that his Galran arm was at his head. Shiro wasn’t used to doing this left handed, but using his right would have been painfully cruel, with the added drawback that he wouldn’t be able to feel Lance’s smooth skin. 

Lance’s tail remained wrapped around his waist, and his soft penis pressed warmly against the material of Shiro’s pants.

Once prostrate, Lance pressed his palms to the mattress, laying his forehead against the backs of his hands. The intricate ownership seal stood out in stark relief on his skin. Shiro ran a large, callused palm down his spine and felt Lance shiver against him. 

“I want you to count aloud, Lance.” Shiro told him, caressing the soft globes of Lance’s ass, squeezing slightly when Lance nodded. 

“Yes, Sir.”

Shiro pulled back, dropping his hand firmly against Lance’s ass with a crack. 

Lance gasped softly, his entire body tensing briefly, a quiet _one_ stuttered out.

Feeling better adjusted to doing this backwards, Shiro dropped the next nine in steady succession, firm and strong but not too painful. Lance’s gasping quickly turned to panting, and Shiro could see the wetness on his face, getting heavier as the skin of his bottom grew darker.

After the tenth, he paused, rubbing his hand over Lance’s thighs and back, skimming lightly over the rapidly forming blush on his ass cheeks. They were getting warmer, the pink color contrasting beautifully with Lance’s tawny skin. His dick was also pressing more firmly into Shiro’s thigh, rubbing against him with every slap. 

“You’re halfway through Lance, you’re doing so well.” Shiro told him, letting the pride he felt bleed into his voice.

Lance groaned quietly, squirming in Shiro’s lap. 

Shiro lifted his hand again and slapped Lance’s cheeks with far more force than the first ten. 

Lance’s body bowed in his lap, his head thrown back as he cried out. Shiro watched his own dark handprint bloom across the already red cheeks and rubbed over it gently.

“Count?” Shiro asked, calm tone belying all of his feelings in that moment. 

“E-Eleven,” Lance panted, his voice wet with tears. 

_Smack!_

Lance cried out, unconsciously grinding his erection forward. Shiro could feel the wetness of precum through his pants and was beginning to see something similar shining along the crack of Lance’s ass. 

“Twelve,” Lance moaned, pressing his forehead back to his hands, trying to bury his face. There was no way Lance couldn’t feel the erection pressed into his stomach, but he made no move to acknowledge it. 

Shiro maintained that force for the remaining eight, spacing them out slower than the first ten. The second Lance said twenty, Shiro was slipping strong arms underneath him, gathering Lance into his arms and standing, laying Lance back onto the bed on his stomach, unwinding his tail from around his waist.

All the while whispering warm words of encouragement, Shiro kneeled by the bed, sliding his hand from the base of Lance’s skull down his back, over the crest of his ass. His cheeks were dark red, radiating heat. Large hands cupped him, squeezing lightly, prolonging the sweet pain of his punishment. 

Shiro lost track of time as he ran his hand up and down Lance’s body, watching Lance slowly drift back to reality. He was just about to stop, to go fetch him a cold, damp cloth, maybe look for a soothing cream, when the soft stirrings of Lance’s purr filled the small room. 

Shiro looked up, finding Lance’s eyes closed, his face in repose. As if sensing Shiro’s gaze though, Lance’s eyes popped open, dark blue filled with heat. Maintaining steady eye contact, Lance pushed back purposefully, his tail lashing through the air.

Shiro reached out quickly, grasping the tail in his hand, winding it once around his palm, just like he’d done with the belt. He pulled slightly, and Lance moaned, long and low.

“I told you this morning that if you were a good boy today I would let you come, do you remember?”

Lance nodded, his mouth parted and lips wet. 

“Do you think you were good?”

Lance’s eyes widened, and he looked nervous as he shrugged. “Yes?”

Shiro smiled. “I do too. You were very honest with me today and I appreciate that. It was good that you told me you needed to be punished. In the future, I’ll try to avoid letting you get this far, but if at any point you feel like you need this, let me know.”

Lance nodded again, and Shiro raised his eyebrows expectantly. 

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good boy,” Shiro told him, before standing up to undress.

He made quick work of it, not bothering to put his shoes away or hang his clothes. Lance watched him the entire time, rapt.

Once he was naked, he moved to straddle Lance’s legs, before pulling at his hips, positioning his ass in the air, pulling Lance’s tail up and out of the way. He cupped the globes of Lance’s ass, using his thumbs to pull them apart, exposing Lance’s swollen, dripping hole. 

Lance’s purr had given way to breathy moaning, and he turned his head into the mattress to bury his scream when Shiro ran his tongue along the crack.

Shiro licked at the skin, effectively cleaning him of all the glossy slick. The taste was surprisingly mellow, sweetly bland where Shiro had expected a coppery tang not unlike a woman. 

He could feel heat, a reminder of Lance’s punishment, against his tongue and cheeks and pressed a kiss directly to Lance’s hole in apology. Shiro watched Lance’s hands clench at the sheets, his body wrought with tension. 

Shiro kissed and licked, feeling the way Lance’s body gradually loosened, opening up for him, begging for more. Spurred on by Lance’s pleading moans, he dipped his tongue past the ring of muscle, licking at slick walls, driving Lance slowly insane. 

Finally, Lance gave in, lifting his face to turn and look at Shiro, his eyes pleading. 

“Please, Takashi…” His voice trembled and Shiro felt his resolve crumble. 

It took only one pull at Lance’s cock for him to come, his hole clenching and unclenching as Shiro’s tongue continued to fuck him through it. Lance’s body quaked, and he moaned into the mattress.

Sitting back on his heels, he took in the exquisite view that was Lance thoroughly wrecked, his skin coated in a thin sheen of sweat, the tip of his tail flicking against the bed. 

Shiro ran his hands down the expanse of skin, over a lightly muscled back and the firm hills of his burning ass. 

“What do you want?” Shiro asked, husky and low, barely recognizable.

“Anything. Everything.” Lance’s answer was immediate, despite the obvious exhaustion from his orgasm.

_I’ll give you everything,_ Shiro thought wildly. _Everything you want Lance, it’s yours._

“Can you lay on your back?” Shiro asked, pressing a hand to Lance’s bottom questioningly. 

Lance hummed, and nodded, letting himself be rolled over by Shiro’s deft hands. 

Once on his back, Shiro pressed Lance’s hands back above his head and pushed his knees apart, leaving every inch of him exposed and open to Shiro’s gaze.

Hefting his heavy erection, Shiro let it fall into the valley of Lance’s thighs, slapping against Lance’s own cock, which was only slightly softer, obviously still interested. The mix of sweat and cum had left Lance soaked, and Shiro pushed Lance’s knees together, pressing his thighs tight to give his dick the most friction. 

Maneuvering long, stockinged legs over one shoulder, he slid his hips back slowly, enjoying the feel of Lance’s soft skin. Grunting when his piercing caught briefly, he pushed back into the tight space.

Lance mewled, tilting his head back and baring the long line of his throat and the black metal that encased it.

An almost perfect collar.

Shiro watched, entranced, as Lance grabbed at his own hair, pulling tightly on the brown strands and his sleek ears. His sharp canine teeth bit into his bottom lip as he squeezed his eyes tight. 

They continued, Shiro thrusting rhythmic and slow, Lance obviously losing his already tenuous grasp on reality. With his eyes closed and mouth parted, Lance almost looked asleep. Only the near constant, low moaning and his once again hard cock leaking against his stomach gave him away.

Feeling himself sliding closer to the edge, Shiro quickly parted Lance’s knees, leaning down to rest on his elbows. Lance’s eyes snapped open, and Shiro could see the way they warmed, before sliding closed again as Shiro kissed him. 

The kiss was wet and without finesse, Lance a little puddle of relaxation and Shiro more focused on thrusting his hips, seeking Lance’s opening with his cock. He felt the tip catch, and it was just enough for him to lift slightly and sink inside, encasing himself in _heat, heat, heat._ Shiro squeezed his eyes closed, breathing deeply to steady himself.

Lance gasped, tossing his head against the mattress, and Shiro took the opportunity to bite at the collar, sliding his tongue between the intricate twists of warm metal. Lance’s hands moved to Shiro’s head, holding him there, as Shiro sucked forcefully on the necklace, creating a pattern of bruises on the skin. 

“Kashi,” Lance’s voice was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of his emotions so clearly. 

“Lance, my baby,” Shiro cooed, moving back to his elbows and drawing Lance into another kiss as he finally pulled his hips away to slam back inside. 

Lance gasped into his mouth with the force of Shiro’s thrusts, and Shiro kept up that pace, their bodies pressed together hips to chest, sliding against each other with sweat. Shiro felt the tension in his stomach building like a rubber band, twisting, ready to snap at any moment. 

He could feel the mirrored anticipation in the body underneath him, and Lance was suddenly gasping, trembling trills and moans pouring from his open mouth.

“I’m gonna, I can’t-“ Lance’s hands in Shiro’s hair tightened to the point of pain, and Shiro nodded against his throat, granting permission.

The warm wet heat of Lance’s cum between their stomachs was all Shiro needed to let go, fucking into Lance as deep as he could, licking into his open panting mouth, tugging at his hair to better fit them together. 

Shiro wanted to keep thrusting until he softened, feel his cum ooze slowly out of Lance’s abused hole, but a flicker of lucidity reminded him of his earlier endeavors. 

Keeping his dick buried in Lance’s clenching ass, ensuring they stayed sealed tightly, Shiro rolled them both slightly, reaching over the side of the bed to rummage through his pants.

Lance moved with him limply, watching him with mild, dazed curiosity. His eyes widened however, when he saw what Shiro had pulled from his pocket. 

A black silicone plug, a rounded point at one end, about four inches wide at the middle, with a flat flared head to hold it in place. Shiro turned it so that Lance could see the head, which was shaped like a heart. 

“Do you know what this is?” Shiro asked.

Lance smiled, a sweetly pleased expression and nodded.

“Would you like to be plugged? To keep my cum inside of you all night, warm and wet?”

Lance nodded frantically. “Yes, please, Sir,” his voice a breathy exhalation. “I want to feel you inside of me every time I move.” 

Shiro groaned, his dick twitching where it was still buried inside of Lance. He moved back to his knees, keeping Lance’s body tight against his groin, tilting his hips up. Lance watched with obvious anticipation as Shiro finally pulled out, quickly slipping the plug into place. 

Lance’s breath hitched at the feeling, but he showed no signs of discomfort. At its widest the plug was just about the same diameter as Shiro’s cock, and the base was fairly slim, so that Lance would be able to wear it for extended amounts of time. 

“Comfortable?” Shiro asked, though he could tell from the way Lance’s purr was vibrating through his body that he was. 

“Yes, Sir.” 

“Good,” Shiro reached down, grabbing Lance around his waist and pulling him up into his lap. “Such a good boy, Lance, so sweet and perfect for me.” 

Lance melted against him with the praise, and Shiro hefted him up more securely until he could get his own legs underneath himself.

He carried Lance to the shower, washing him off thoroughly, unable to resist petting him under the water, running his fingers around the base of the plug to make Lance shiver. Once they were both brushed and cleaned, Shiro moved them back to bed, skipping clothes in favor of feeling Lance’s warm skin pressed against him all night.

Wrapped around Lance, Shiro finally let himself relax. 

The banquet had put him on edge, and Lance’s subsequent punishment had been cathartic for both of them. The knowledge that Lance was currently plugged, Shiro’s cum sloshing inside of him, inspired intense feelings of possession and need.

The memory of the fear he’d felt when he’d realized the Maddox’s were missing, the jealousy at Lance’s obviously warm relationship with Lady Maddox. The realization that Shiro would do anything for Lance, give anything to Lance. 

It scared him. 

But nothing scared him so much as the idea of losing Lance, of going back to how things had been before, without the vivid passion Lance inspired in him. 

Shiro tightened his hold on Lance, his stomach fluttering at the way it made Lance purr louder. 

“Lance…” Shiro spoke softly into chocolatey curls still wet from the shower.

Lance hummed questioningly, turning concerned eyes towards Shiro. 

“Stay with me,” Shiro said, trying to imbue every ounce of feeling he had for Lance into his words.

“Of course,” Lance replied instantly, honesty spelled across his now concerned face. “Always, Shiro. For as long as you’ll have me.”

Shiro nodded, repositioning them more comfortably. The excitement of the day swiftly caught up to him, and he felt himself drift off.

**Author's Note:**

> [come say hi to me on my tumblr :)](http://thinkpinkwrites.tumblr.com)


End file.
